Supercritical extraction (SCE) employs as a solvent compounds that are at or near their critical
region at the condition of operation. The most commonly employed solvent is carbon dioxide,
although light hydrocarbons have also been proposed [I]. A typical feature of SCE- solvents is that
their critical pressure is high and that their critical temperature is low. Therefore, SCE processes
operate at elevated pressures (P) and moderately high temperatures (T). SCE processes have been
established as a promising alternative to conventional separation techniques, such as distillation,
absorption and extraction. Currently, biochemical industries and food industries are principal users
of SCE-based processes.