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CARDAMOM

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COMERG • Cardamom extraction

Green Cardamom

Elettaria cardamomum

Turn cardamom seed into a high-strength, food-grade extract with COMERG equipment. Our cold, room-temperature, low-pressure process captures the sweet, resinous warmth of true cardamom, the bright terpinyl acetate and eucalyptol top notes that heat would otherwise carry away.

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85% volatile oil

The spice

The queen of spices

Cardamom is one of the most valuable spices in the world, a seed pod with a complex, warm-sweet aroma that sits somewhere between eucalyptus, citrus and resin. Its scent is led by terpinyl acetate and 1,8-cineole, bright and cooling at the top, deep and balsamic underneath.

The seeds are milled and processed cold, so the finished extract carries the full character of the pod. Nothing is added, and the natural balance of esters and oxides found in the seed is preserved.

Raw material

Botanical nameElettaria cardamomum
FamilyZingiberaceae
Plant partSeeds
ConditionDried, ground
OriginGuatemala
AvailabilityAll year

The extract

What the process delivers

Run on COMERG equipment, cardamom seed yields a standardised, high-strength extract, batch after batch. Because the extraction is cold and solvent-light, with no high heat, the bright top notes carry straight through to the finished oil. The figures below are typical of a standardised BCar-85.1 grade.

≥85%Volatile oil v/w
37%Terpinyl acetate
30%1,8-Cineole
<25 °CExtraction temp
97%Compound recovery
~32 kgSeed per kg extract

The method

Cold extraction, in three steps

No heat, no leftover solvent. This is what happens inside a COMERG aerosol system, and why the extract keeps the full cardamom character.

1

Pressurised R134a flooding

Non-toxic liquefied R134a gas is introduced to the milled cardamom seed at controlled, low pressure. There is no heat, the cycle begins and stays at room temperature.

2

Selective aromatic dissolution

The liquid gas gently dissolves the terpinyl acetate, eucalyptol and other volatiles, while the heat-sensitive esters that give cardamom its sweetness stay intact.

3

Recovery and pure extract

The R134a is fully recovered and recycled in a closed loop. What is left is a concentrated cardamom extract, at least 85% volatile oil, with under 0.1 g/kg residue.

Aromatic profile

The compound fingerprint

Principal constituents identified by GC-MS, each above 1%. Terpinyl acetate and 1,8-cineole lead the profile and together define the sweet, cooling signature of true cardamom.

Terpinyl acetate
37%
1,8-Cineole
30%
Linalyl acetate
5%
Sabinene
4%
Linalool
3%
a-Pinene
2%
beta-Myrcene
2%
Limonene
2%
α-Terpineol
2%
0%15%30%40%+

Other extractables present. Per-batch GC-MS report available on request.

Specification

BCar-85.1 at a glance

Identity & origin

Botanical nameElettaria cardamomum
Plant partSeeds
OriginGuatemala
Product codeBCar-85.1
CAS No.96507-91-4
EINECS No.306-171-0

Production

MethodLiquefied-gas extraction
TemperatureBelow 25 °C
SolventFood-grade (Dir. 97/60/EC)
Solvent residue< 0.1 g/kg
StandardisationDeclared volatile oil
Concentration1 kg ≈ 30-35 kg seed

Physical

AppearanceYellow clear oily liquid
Volatile oil≥ 85% v/w (ASTA)
INCI nameElettaria Cardamomum Seed Extract
Density943 g/l
Refractive index1.4647
Acid value3.6 mg KOH/g

Solubility & output

In oilsFully soluble
In 40% alcoholPartial
In waterInsoluble
Flash point> 61 °C
ContainerLined aluminium bottle
Shelf life2 years

Why cardamom, why cold

A precious seed, captured whole

A concentrated spice

Elettaria cardamomum, Guatemala

Plant partSeeds, milled
Seed per kg extract~30-35 kg
Volatile oil≥ 85% v/w
AvailabilityAll year

Captured cold

Versus steam distillation

Terpinyl acetate37% retained
1,8-Cineole30%
Process temperature< 25 °C
Top notesPreserved

Applications

What you can make

Fine perfumery Food & flavour Confectionery & bakery Beverages & spirits Oral care Cosmetics

The extract can be taken concentrated or diluted in a carrier oil to suit the application. Typical filling rates for the concentrated extract in food are 2 to 50 mg per kilogram of product.

Why the COMERG line

Built for high-value spice like cardamom

The strength and character above are not an accident of the seed alone, they are what the right equipment makes repeatable. Our line is engineered around the things that matter when you process an expensive aromatic.

Room temperatureR134a aerosol extraction works cold and at low pressure, so the bright eucalyptol top notes are never cooked off.
Keeps the sweetnessThe terpinyl acetate and linalyl acetate that make cardamom sweet are delicate esters. Cold extraction keeps them where heat would hydrolyse them.
Fully automatedClosed-loop systems run the cycle for you, so results stay consistent and one operator can handle the line.
Fast cycles, high yieldLow-pressure extraction is quick and recovers up to 97% of the seed's compounds, more than older high-pressure CO2 lines.
Scales with youFrom a 10 l pilot unit to 2000 l production, the same method grows from R&D batches to full output.
Clean and economicalIt uses around 85% less energy than solvent methods and needs no special hazardous-location facility.

Why it wins

Compared to the alternatives

Against steam distillation, solvent and CO2, cold R134a extraction keeps more of the cardamom, above all the delicate esters that heat breaks apart.

FeatureCOMERG R134aSteam distillationSolventCO₂ supercritical
Process temperature< 25 °C (room temp)100-150 °C40-70 °C31-80 °C
Aromatic preservation95%+60-75%~85%~80%
Compound recoveryup to 97%70-85%80-90%85-92%
Delicate estersPreservedPartly hydrolysedRetainedMostly retained
Solvent residue< 0.1 g/kgNoneNeeds post-purgeNone
Energy use85% less vs solventHighMedium-highVery high
Special facilityNot requiredNot requiredRequiredHigh-pressure safety

From seed to extract

The machines for cardamom

A complete COMERG line takes cardamom from raw seed to a finished extract. These are the core stages, each available as standalone equipment.

View all equipment
Product specificationFull composition, properties, packaging and handling for cardamom extract BCar-85.1.
Download PDF

Questions

Cardamom extraction, explained

A 100% natural cardamom seed extract, product code BCar-85.1. It reaches at least 85% volatile oil, led by around 37% terpinyl acetate and 30% eucalyptol (1,8-cineole), with no additives.

Liquefied food-grade gas extraction at room temperature, below 25 °C, and low pressure. Because there is no high heat, the delicate aromatic compounds are preserved and solvent residue stays below 0.1 g/kg.

The esters that give cardamom its sweetness, mainly terpinyl acetate and linalyl acetate, can break down under the heat of steam distillation. Cold R134a extraction keeps them, so the extract tastes and smells closer to the fresh seed.

Roughly 1 kg of extract represents around 30 to 35 kg of dried, milled seed, which is part of why a high-strength extract is so economical to ship and use.

Yes. The same cold process runs from a 10 l pilot unit to 2000 l production systems, so you can start small and grow without changing method.

It is produced with a food-grade solvent per Directive 97/60/EC. It is a raw material for formulation, not intended for direct consumption or undiluted topical use, and users are responsible for compliance with applicable legislation.

Yes. A per-batch GC-MS analysis is available on request, and a Safety Data Sheet per 2006/1907/EC is supplied with the product.

Set up your cardamom line

Tell us your throughput and target product. We will recommend the right system, share a yield estimate for your cardamom seed, and reply with pricing and lead time, usually within 48 hours.

COMERG extracts are raw materials for product formulation. They are not intended for direct consumption or for undiluted topical application in cosmetics, perfumery or aromatherapy. This information is provided to the best of our knowledge and is not a substitute for prior testing of suitability for the intended use. Keep away from children.

The cardamom line

Equipment for processing cardamom

The machines below make up the cardamom line, the equipment that takes the seed through to a finished extract. Request a quote on any unit and we will reply with pricing and lead time.

  • 5L Fully Automated Compound Remediation System

    5L Fully Automated Compound Remediation System

    A bench-scale system that refines a finished botanical extract, selectively removing unwanted constituents at room temperature while preserving the aromatics and actives.

  • 6" SS Wiped Film Distillation System

    6″ SS Wiped Film Distillation System

    A stainless-steel short-path wiped film system that distills and purifies heat-sensitive botanical fractions in seconds under deep vacuum, with no thermal damage.

  • Automated Vape Cartridge Filling Machine

    Automated Vape Cartridge Filling Machine

    A compact automated filler for viscous botanical oils, with a heated mixer, jacketed feed and temperature-controlled nozzle for clean, bubble-free 0.3-3 mL doses.

  • Dual-Cut Botanical Harvester

    Dual-Cut Botanical Harvester

    A tractor-towed harvester that cuts flowering tops and stalks in a single pass, feeding a self-unloading 5 m³ bunker at up to 2 hectares per hour.

  • EtOH Fully Automated Ethanol Extraction System

    EtOH Fully Automated Ethanol Extraction System

    A scalable 20-1000L ethanol platform that washes botanicals with chilled food-grade ethanol and recovers the solvent in a closed loop for clean, full-spectrum extracts.

  • Gas Chromatography Analysis System

    Gas Chromatography Analysis System

    A compact benchtop GC-FID analyser with a built-in hydrogen generator and dual columns for fast, low-cost potency, aroma-profile and residual-solvent testing.

  • Mold & Yeast Remediation System

    Mold & Yeast Remediation System

    A low-pressure decontamination system that removes mold, yeast and microbial load from botanical material and extracts at room temperature, with no heat or irradiation.

  • SHW 120L Subcritical Hot Water Extraction System

    SHW 120L Subcritical Hot Water Extraction System

    A solvent-free 120L production system that extracts polar, water-soluble compounds with pressurised hot water, delivering both a concentrated extract and an aromatic water.

  • SHW 60L Subcritical Hot Water Extraction System

    SHW 60L Subcritical Hot Water Extraction System

    A solvent-free 60L system that extracts polar, water-soluble compounds with pressurised hot water, yielding both a concentrated extract and a fragrant aromatic water.

  • Stick & Seed Separation System

    Stick & Seed Separation System

    A sifting and air-separation line that sorts dried botanical biomass into three clean fractions – flower and leaf, stalk, and seed – ready for extraction or sale.