Plants can be considered chemical compound factories and different parts of a given plant may contain different chemicals. Each group of these chemicals has or may have a different physiological or therapeutic activity. The extraction solvent is the agent that allows the extraction of desired compounds from this raw material and the choice of the most appropriate solvent depend on the part of the plant and the finality of the extract. Recent trends in extraction techniques have focused on minimizing the use of organic solvents such as methanol, ethanol, ethyl acetate, and acetone that are quite efficient, but flammable, volatile, and toxic in certain cases. Some of the greener alternatives researched are chromatographic, membrane filtration, pH modifications, supercritical fluid extraction, solvent-free purification, hydrolysis, and others.

Euromed`s Mediterranean fruit and vegetables extracts™ are obtained with the Pure-Hydro Process®, a proprietary green technology in use at a dedicated GMP manufacturing plant in Southern Spain. It combines physical procedures and aqueous solutions without using organic solvents; products are natural and free of toxic solvents residuals, and therefore safer and environmentally friendly, ideal for inclusion in foods and beverages.

It starts with the aqueous processing of fruits with high purity osmotized water. The aqueous solution is then filtered and purified using solvent-free techniques such as chromatography, tangential filtration and evaporation till a powder extract is obtained, with a ratio of active compounds similar as in the fresh fruit, but more concentrated. The extracts are highly stable, soluble, bioavailable, have better colour, smell and taste than with organic solvents. The water used in the Pure-Hydro Process® is demineralized, improving efficiency of extraction of water-soluble compounds and, thanks to a low pH, preventing oxidation of phytochemicals and enhancing their antioxidant properties. Recently, researchers investigated if mineralization of water used for the preparation of popular tea or herbal brews has an impact on the process of extraction of bioactive components such as polyphenols and flavonoids, and on the antioxidant activity of such brews (Foods 2021, 10, 1227). In most cases, the highest concentrations of polyphenols and flavonoids were obtained in brews prepared with the use of deionized water and waters with medium levels of mineralization. It was also demonstrated an increase of antioxidant properties that was inversely proportional to the content of mineral components. This study provides and indirect support to the excellent solubility, bioavailability, and antioxidant properties of ingredients such as Pomanox®, Mediteanox® and Wellemon®, obtained with the Pure-Hydro Process®.  

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