Optimization of process variables for essential oil components from Satureja hortensis by supercritical fluid extraction using Box-Behnken experimental design

▶ The SFE of Satureja hortensis was studied, and the results were compared with essential oil composition obtained by hydrodistillation. ▶ The SFE procedure offers many important advantages over hydrodistillation. ▶ The SFE required shorter extraction time (15 min vs. 4 h for hydrodistillation). ▶ Energy cost was higher for performing hydrodistillation than SFE. ▶ The flexibility in the manipulation of the variables involved in the SFE process allows one to optimize the experimental conditions considering the selectivity of a substance or classes of substances of interest. ▶ The selectivity of SFE allowed one to maximize the concentration of the selected compounds.