Process integration for turmeric products extraction using supercritical fluids and pressurized liquids: Economic evaluation

• The economic evaluation of an integrated process using emerging technologies was conducted.
• SFE+PLE–SAS process shown to be useful in obtaining turmeric essential oil and powdered extract rich in curcuminoids.
• Raw material was the component that had more impact and influenced the COM.
• The integrated process is a feasible alternative and an attractive inversion.

An economic evaluation of an integrated process to produce products derived from turmeric was performed. Process integration of supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), pressurized liquid extraction (PLE), and supercritical antisolvent process (SAS) has been investigated in order to obtain turmeric essential oil (TEO) and powdered curcuminoid-rich extract (PCE). Scale-up led to a decrease in the cost of manufacture (COM) for both the products. Volatile oil and powdered curcuminoid-rich extract COMs decreased from US$ 112.70 kg−1 to US$ 85.58 kg−1 and from US$ 174.80 kg−1 to US$ 141.63 kg−1, respectively, when a raw material costing US$ 7.27 kg−1 was used, and the capacity of the system increased from 2× 50 L to 2× 500 L. The raw material cost had a significant effect on the process expenses. When the capacity of the system was 2× 50 L, and the raw material cost decreased from US$ 7.27 kg−1 to US$ 1.59 kg−1, the COM of volatile oil and powdered curcuminoid-rich extract decreased from US$ 112.70 kg−1 to US$ 64.97 kg−1 and from US$ 174.80 kg−1 to US$ 140.96 kg−1, respectively. The economic evaluation results of this study clearly demonstrate that the integrated process is a feasible alternative and an attractive option to produce derivatives from turmeric.

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