Supercritical fluid extraction of hops

Five cultivars of hop were extracted by the method of supercritical fluid extraction using carbon dioxide (SFE-CO2) as extractant. The extraction (50 g of hop sample using a CO, flow rate of 97.725 L/h) was done in the two steps: 1. extraction at 150 bar and 40 degrees C for 2.5 h (sample of series A was obtained) and, after that, the same sample of hop was extracted in the second step: 2. extraction at 300 bar and 40 degrees C for 2.5 h (sample of series B was obtained). The Magnum cultivar was chosen for the investigation of the extraction kinetics. For the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the obtained hop extracts, the GC-MS method was used. Two of four the most common compounds of hop aroma (alpha-humulene and beta-caryophyllene) were detected in samples of series A. In addition, isomerized alpha-acids and a high content of beta-acids were detected. The a-acids content in the samples of series B was the highest in the extract of the Magnum cultivar (it is a bitter variety of hop). The low contents of alpha-acids in all the other hop samples resulted in extracts with low alpha-acids content, i.e., that contents were tinder the prescribed a-acids content.