The pharmaceutical company might choose to use solvent extraction and supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) as methods to extract the desired ingredient from pomace. Solvent extraction involves using a solvent to dissolve the targeted compound, which can then be separated from the pomace, with considerations for efficiency and the type of solvent used being a crucial criterion. In contrast, supercritical fluid extraction employs supercritical CO2 to selectively extract compounds at lower temperatures, retaining the integrity of heat-sensitive materials—this method is often favored for its environmental benefits and purity but can be constrained by high initial investment and operational costs. Ultimately, the choice of extraction method can be influenced by factors such as cost-effectiveness, environmental regulations, and the specific nature of the ingredient to be extracted.
A pharmaceutical company wants to extract an ingredient from pomace supplied by a certain food processing plant. What are two methods they might choose to use? How could different criteria and/or constraints affect the decision on how to extract the material? In three to five sentences, describe two methods, including one criterion and one constraint that would affect extraction methods.
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