"Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) technology has become an increasingly popular method for extraction and purification of food ingredients including vegetable oils over the last 20 years due to its unique advantages over conventional processing methods. These include low-temperature operation, inert solvent, selective separation, and the extraction of high-value products or new products with improved functional or nutritional characteristics. SFE is also an environmentally benign technology since the process typically generates little or no waste. SFE technology is used to process hundreds of millions of pounds of coffee, tea, and hops annually, and is increasingly becoming of common use in the pharmaceutical industry for purification and nano-particle formation. Supercritical fluid processing is also gaining popularity in botanicals, vitamins and supplements industries that require products of highest purity and quality"-- Provided by publisher.