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Nutmeg

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COMERG • Nutmeg extraction

Nutmeg Seed

Myristica fragrans Houtt.

Turn nutmeg kernels into a warm, food-grade spice extract with COMERG equipment. Our cold, room-temperature, low-pressure process captures the sweet, woody, slightly musky character of nutmeg, the sabinene and myristicin that define it, with no heat to dull its warmth.

Technical reply in 48h Free yield review Worldwide shipping
37% sabinene

The spice

A warm, sweet-woody kernel

Nutmeg is the brown inner seed of Myristica fragrans, a tropical evergreen whose fruit also gives the spice mace, the scarlet aril around the kernel. Its warm, sweet, slightly musky aroma comes from sabinene and the pinenes, lifted by the myristicin that gives nutmeg its signature depth.

The kernels are milled and processed cold, so the finished extract keeps the rounded warmth of fresh-grated nutmeg rather than a cooked, flat note. Nothing is added, and the spice's full character is carried straight into the extract.

Raw material

Botanical nameMyristica fragrans Houtt.
FamilyMyristicaceae
Plant partSeeds
ConditionDried, ground
OriginIndia
AvailabilityAll year

The extract

What the process delivers

Run on COMERG equipment, nutmeg kernels yield a standardised, high-strength extract, batch after batch. Because the extraction is cold and solvent-light, with no high heat, the warm woody aroma carries straight through to the finished oil. The figures below are typical of a standardised BNuM-70.1 grade.

37%Sabinene
≥70%Volatile oil v/w
0.290DPPH IC50 mg/ml
<25 °CExtraction temp
~5.5 kgSeeds per kg extract
<0.1 g/kgSolvent residue

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 nutmeg character.

1

Pressurised R134a flooding

Non-toxic liquefied R134a gas is introduced to the milled nutmeg kernels 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 sabinene, the pinenes, myristicin and the warm aromatic compounds, while the volatile top notes stay structurally intact.

3

Recovery and pure extract

The R134a is fully recovered and recycled in a closed loop. What is left is a concentrated nutmeg extract, at least 70% volatile oil, with under 0.1 g/kg residue.

Aromatic profile

The compound fingerprint

Principal constituents identified by GC-MS, each above 1%. Sabinene leads by a clear margin, with the pinenes behind it, while myristicin and elemicin carry the deep, characteristic warmth of nutmeg.

Sabinene
37%
a-Pinene
12%
beta-Pinene
8%
Myristicin
7%
Methyl eugenol
6%
Elemicin
5%
Limonene
4%
beta-Phellandrene
3%
0%15%25%37%+

Other extractables present, including terpinen-4-ol, myrcene and safrole. Per-batch GC-MS report available on request.

Specification

BNuM-70.1 at a glance

Identity & origin

Botanical nameMyristica fragrans Houtt.
Plant partSeeds
OriginIndia
Product codeBNuM-70.1
CAS No.84082-68-8
EINECS No.282-013-3

Production

MethodLiquefied-gas extraction
TemperatureBelow 25 °C
SolventFood-grade (Dir. 97/60/EC)
Solvent residue< 0.1 g/kg
StandardisationDeclared volatile oil
Concentration1 kg ≈ 5-6 kg seeds

Physical

AppearanceLight yellow oily liquid
Volatile oil70-80% v/w (ASTA)
INCI nameMyristica Fragrans Kernel Extract
Density975 g/l
Refractive index1.5249
Acid value3.9 mg KOH/g

Solubility & handling

In oilsFully soluble
In 40% alcoholPartial
In waterInsoluble
Flash point> 61 °C
TransportDangerous good (ADR)
Shelf life2 years

Why nutmeg, why cold

A warm spice, captured whole

A concentrated seed

Myristica fragrans, India

Plant partKernels, milled
Seeds per kg extract~5-6 kg
Volatile oil≥ 70% v/w
AntioxidantDPPH IC50 0.290 mg/ml

Captured cold

Versus heat-based methods

Sabinene37% kept
Myristicin7%, preserved
Process temperature< 25 °C
Warm top notesPreserved

Applications

What you can make

Baked goods & desserts Sauces & savoury Mulled & spiced drinks Spice blends Fine perfumery Cosmetics

This nutmeg extract is edible and can be used concentrated or diluted in a carrier oil to suit the application. Typical filling rates for the concentrated extract in food are 35 to 600 mg per kilogram of product. It is classed as a dangerous good for transport (ADR) and is shipped accordingly.

Why the COMERG line

Built for warm spices like nutmeg

The rounded, sweet warmth above is what the right equipment makes repeatable. Our line is engineered around the things that matter when you process a high-oil, aromatic seed.

Room temperatureR134a aerosol extraction works cold and at low pressure, so the warm, volatile top notes are never cooked off.
Keeps the warmthThe sabinene, pinenes and myristicin that carry nutmeg's depth come through cleanly, not flattened by heat.
Fully automatedClosed-loop systems run the cycle for you, so results stay consistent and one operator can handle the line.
High-strength yieldLow-pressure extraction is quick and recovers up to 97% of the seed's oil, for a concentrated extract over 70% volatile oil.
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 nutmeg, with a warm, high-strength result.

FeatureCOMERG R134aSteam distillationSolventCO₂ supercritical
Process temperature< 25 °C (room temp)100-150 °C40-70 °C31-80 °C
Aromatic preservation95%+70-85%~85%~85%
Warm top notesPreservedPartly lostMostly keptMostly kept
Compound recoveryup to 97%75-88%80-90%85-92%
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 nutmeg

A complete COMERG line takes nutmeg from raw kernel 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 nutmeg extract BNuM-70.1.
Download PDF

Questions

Nutmeg extraction, explained

A 100% natural nutmeg kernel extract from Myristica fragrans, product code BNuM-70.1. It reaches at least 70% volatile oil, led by around 37% sabinene with 7% myristicin, 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.

Nutmeg's warmth lives in light terpenes like sabinene and the pinenes that prolonged heat can flatten. Cold R134a extraction concentrates them cleanly so the extract keeps its rounded, sweet-woody character.

Roughly 1 kg of extract represents around 5 to 6 kg of nutmeg kernels, a high-strength yield typical of this oil-rich seed.

Yes. It is produced with a food-grade solvent per Directive 97/60/EC. Typical filling rates are 35 to 600 mg per kilogram of food product. It is a raw material for formulation, not for direct or undiluted use.

Nutmeg extract is classed as a dangerous good for transport under ADR, RID, ICAO and IMDG regulations, and is packed and shipped accordingly. A Safety Data Sheet per 2006/1907/EC is supplied with the product.

Yes. A per-batch GC-MS analysis is available on request.

Set up your nutmeg line

Tell us your throughput and target product. We will recommend the right system, share a yield estimate for your nutmeg, 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. Nutmeg extract is classed as a dangerous good for transport and is shipped accordingly. 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 nutmeg line

Equipment for processing nutmeg

The machines below make up the nutmeg 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.