Mass transfer and kinetic modelling of supercritical CO 2 extraction of fresh tea leaves (Camellia sinensis L.)

Abstract Supercritical carbon dioxide extraction was employed to extract solids from fresh tea leaves (Camellia sinensis L.) at various pressures(15 to 35 MPa) and temperatures (313 to 333K) with addition of ethanol as a polarity modifier. The diffusion model and Langmuir model fit well to experimental data and the correlation coefficients were greater than 0.94. Caffeine solubility was determined in supercritical CO2 and the Gordillo model was employed to correlate the experimental solubility values. The Gordillo model fit well to the experimental values with a correlation coefficient 0.91 an...