PRODUCTS MADE WITH HEXANE

Hexane is commonly used to extract oil from seeds and nuts due to its efficiency in maximizing yield. Products that are produced with hexane include:

• Soybean oil
• Rapeseed (Canola) oil
• Sunflower oil
• Corn oil
• Cottonseed oil
• Safflower oil
• Grapeseed oil
• Rice bran oil
• Palm kernel oil
• Peanut oil
• Olive pomace oil
• Cocoa butter
• Carnuba Wax

Some protein isolates and concentrates are obtained from oilseeds after hexane-based extraction, such as:

• Soy protein isolate (used in meat alternatives, protein bars, dairy substitutes)
• Defatted peanut or almond flours

Many conventionnal plant-based protein ingredients are defatted with hexane before being turned into flour, isolate or concentrate as exposed by the US NGO Cornucopia.

Certain natural flavors and aromas are extracted using hexane before further refining. Examples include:

• Citrus essential oils (extracted from peels)
• Vanilla extracts (before purification processes)
• Spice oleoresins (such as paprika, black pepper, and nutmeg)

Certain food additives and natural colorants can involve hexane extraction, particularly when isolating lipophilic compounds from plant sources.

1. Natural Colorants (Carotenoids and Chlorophylls)

Many natural pigments are extracted from plants and algae:

• E100 – Curcumin (from turmeric, used for yellow coloring)
• E160c – Paprika Extract, Capsanthin, Capsorubin (from red peppers, used in snacks, sauces, and seasonings)
• E160d(ii) – Lycopene from red tomatoes (used in processed tomato products, beverages, and supplements)
• E160a(ii) – Plant Carotenes (from carrots, palm oil, or algae, used in dairy, margarine, and beverages)
• E140(i) – Chlorophylls (from green plants, used in confectionery and dairy)
• E140(ii) – Chlorophyllins (water-soluble chlorophyll derivatives, used in processed foods)
• E141(i) – Copper Complexes of Chlorophylls (stabilized green pigment, used in canned vegetables and confectionery)
• E161b – Lutein (from Tagetes flowers, marigolds, used in dairy and beverages)

2. Annatto-Based Colorants

These pigments are extracted from Bixa orellana (annatto seeds). They give an orange to yellow hue and are used in cheese, margarine, and processed foods:

• E160b(i) – Annatto Bixin (oil-soluble)
• E160b(ii) – Annatto Norbixin (water-soluble)

3. Antioxidants and Functional Additives

Some antioxidants are derived from botanical sources:

• E392 – Rosemary Extract (Rosmarinic Acid, Carnosic Acid, used as a natural preservative in fats and oils)

4. Emulsifiers and Stabilizers

Some functional food ingredients originate from oilseed extraction where hexane is used:

• Lecithins (Soy Lecithin, used as an emulsifier in chocolate, baked goods, and dairy alternatives)
• Tocopherols (Vitamin E, extracted from vegetable oils, used as an antioxidant in processed foods)
• Monoglycerides and Diglycerides (emulsifiers used in baking, dairy, and processed foods)
• Fatty Acid Esters (stabilizers and emulsifiers in various food formulations)

Few oilseeds meals are pressed or expeller pressed but the vast majority of meals produced on ur planet are defatted with hexane. The list include:

• Soybean meal (a primary protein source for poultry, pigs, and cattle)
• Rapeseed meal (used as an alternative to soybean meal)
• Sunflower meal (lower protein than soy but used in specific feed formulations)
• Cottonseed meal (used in livestock feed)
• Peanut meal (sometimes used in animal feed formulations)

Some hexane-extracted oils are used as nutritional supplements in animal feed:

• Fish oil (used in aquaculture, enriched in omega-3)
• Stabilized vegetable oils (added to animal feed to increase energy intake)

Refined or hydrogenated oils, butters and waxes used in conventional cosmetics are often hexane extracted except if they are “pressed” or “virgin” oils. The list of cosmetic oils and fats which can be hexane extracted include :

• Shea butter and cocoa butter (when refined for cosmetics)
• Jojoba oil
• Sweet almond oil,
• Grapeseed oil
• Sunflower oil
• Apricot kernel oil
• Avocado oil
• Macadamia oil
• Argan oil
• Coconut oil
• Marula oil
• Baobab oil
• Tamanu oil
• Rosehip oil
• Moringa oil
• Prickly pear seed oil
• Hemp seed oil
• Camelia oil
• Mango butter
• Kokum butter
• Illipe butter
• Sal butter
• Castor oil
• Rice bran oil
• Sesame oil
• Evening primrose oil
• Borage oil
• Meadowfoam seed oil
• Safflower oil
• Sea buckthorn oil
• Black cumin seed oil
• Carnauba wax

Many fragrance ingredients are derived from plant materials using hexane-based extraction, including:

• Absolutes (such as jasmine, rose, and tuberose)
• Concretes (extracted from flowers and used in perfumery)

Pharmaceutical and nutraceutical companies use hexane extraction to isolate bioactive compounds, including:

• Curcumin (from turmeric)
• Lycopene (from tomatoes)
• Carotenoids
• Resveratrol (from grape skin)
• Cannabinoids (from hemp, before purification steps)
• Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid extracts
• DHA and ARA
• Serenoa repens fruit extract
• Primrose oil
• Borage oil
• Wheat germ oil (as a vitamin E source)
• Algae-derived oils

Some oils used as excipients in drug formulations are extracted with hexane, such as:

• Medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) from coconut oil

Hexane extraction is employed to extract oils that serve as precursors for biodiesel production or technical products. These applications ensure that hexane residue in the end-product is ultimately burned as fuel and does not end up in the human food chain or in consumer products. Typical oils used as biodiesel or chemical raw material include:

• Soybean oil
• Rapeseed oil
• Algae-derived oils
• Castor oil

Certain waxes and lubricants, derived from biomass, undergo hexane-based extraction:

• Carnauba wax (used in coatings, polishes, and cosmetics)
• Vegetable-derived industrial lubricants