Black Pepper Cannabinoid Extract Fractionation for High BCP Yield
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods are unable to extract sufficient beta-caryophyllene (BCP) from plant materials to meet the requirements of the nutraceutical and functional supplements/food-beverages market.
Innovation Solution
A method involving extraction, winterization, and fractional distillation of black pepper (Piper nigrum) to produce a black pepper cannabinoid extract comprising BCP and five other terpenes, with BCP present in 71-87 wt.%, and blending with excipients for specific health applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional extraction methods are used on black pepper plant material, then the extraction process is simple and cost-effective, but the yield of beta-caryophyllene is insufficient to meet market requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The extraction process is divided into multiple sequential stages: initial extraction to obtain crude extract, winterization to remove waxes and triglycerides, and fractional distillation to separate beta-caryophyllene from other components. This segmentation allows each stage to target specific components, progressively concentrating BCP while removing interfering substances, thereby achieving high yield and purity despite increased process complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The process utilizes changes in physical parameters at different stages: temperature control during winterization to precipitate high-melting-point components, and temperature/pressure variations during fractional distillation to separate components based on their boiling points. These parameter changes enable selective isolation of beta-caryophyllene, transforming a simple extraction into a multi-parameter optimization process that achieves marketable concentrations
2Manufacturing precision
If fractional distillation is employed to concentrate beta-caryophyllene, then the purity and concentration of BCP is improved, but the production time and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
Winterization is performed as a preliminary step before fractional distillation to remove waxes, triglycerides, and other high-melting-point components. This preliminary action prevents these substances from interfering with the subsequent distillation process, reducing the complexity of separation required and thereby minimizing the time and energy needed to achieve target BCP concentrations
Solution Approach 2:
The process replaces extensive mechanical separation methods with thermal-based fractional distillation, which exploits the different volatility characteristics of beta-caryophyllene and other extract components. This substitution allows for more efficient separation with fewer manual intervention steps, improving production efficiency while maintaining high concentration precision
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method enables the production of a black pepper cannabinoid extract suitable for various health conditions, including pain management, heart health, liver support, and skin therapy, by effectively delivering active ingredients.
Implementation Method 1
extracting black pepper (Piper nigrum) to produce a first extract comprising of fat-soluble components
Implementation Method 2
winterizing the first extract to remove components differentiated by a higher solidification temperature
Implementation Method 3
fractionally distilling the winterized fat-soluble components of the first extract to produce a plurality of black pepper lipid fractions
Data Source
AI summary
A black pepper cannabinoid extract includes beta-caryophyllene and five or more other terpenes. The invention also relates to a method of producing the black pepper cannabinoid extract, including the steps of: extracting black pepper to produce a first extract having fat-soluble components; winterizing the first extract to remove components differentiated by a higher solidification temperature; fractionally distilling the winterized fat-soluble components of the first extract to produce a plurality of black pepper lipid fractions; and blending two or more of the black pepper lipid fractions to produce a black pepper cannabinoid extract. The black pepper cannabinoid extract includes beta-caryophyllene and five or more other terpenes.