Chemical Weekly
January 28, 2003.

Sami Labs' SC extraction facility inaugurated

 

Sami Labs Limited, Bangalore has set up a new supercritical fluid (CO2) extraction facility on a commercial scale on technology developed by IIT, Bombay, IIT, Bombay had developed this technology under the Government of India's 'Technology Mission'.

This is the first commercialisation of the technology. The technology works at atmospheric pressures to more than 300 bars for selective extraction of active compounds from natural products for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical usage.

The facility was inaugurated by Dr. R. A. Mashelkar, Director General, CSIR, Government of India and Mr. D. B. Inamdar, Hon'ble Minister for IT, BT and Tourism, Government of Karnataka.

Also present were Dr. Muhammed Majeed, Chairman & Managing Director, Sami Group of Companies and representatives from IIT, Bombay. Dr. Majeed in his opening remarks welcomed the dignitaries and highlighted the role played by the company in herbal extractions and exports to US, Japan and European countries. Dr. Mashelkar felt that efforts of this kind, made by Sami Labs Ltd. Should be applauded.

"The world is going digital, herbal and spiritual and India has already excelled in these areas," Dr. Mashelkar said. He called Dr. Majeed a "Technopreneur", a blend of a scientist and a successful entrepreneur.

Mr. Inamdar, appreciated the company's efforts in collaborating with the farmers for cultivation of medicinal plants thereby giving farmers an opportunity for their economic growth.

Dr. S. Baser, Prof. Of Chemical Engineering, IIT, Bombay in his presentation emphasised the importance and advantages of SCFE process and the basic research carried out at IIT, Bombay in collaboration with Sami Labs to develop and commericalise this project in an economical way.

"This led to a compact design of the facility, at a cost less than half compared to any other imported facilities of this kind," he noted.