The Science behind our pure Plant Extracts
A plant has evolved and adapted so it has everything it needs to survive and thrive in all environments.
The leaves, stalk, roots, flower and fruit all serve a unique yet pivotal purpose in helping a plant grow, repair, hydrate, heal, and to protect against harsh environmental conditions and pests.
The inner workings of a unique cellular matrix, developed naturally over millions of years, facilitates this self-survival mechanism. Now, for the first time in the world, this powerful cellular matrix has been studied and understood by Plant Extracts, a revolutionary company which has created an original manufacturing process CLECS™.
The Cold Liquid Extraction Closed System – developed in-house - provides purely natural plant extracts that are active, stable, and work without the need for chemical synthetic agents. Most importantly, this extraction technique does not damage the plant in the process.
Plant science
To provide our clients with a product that functions in the environment as it does in the plant, an understanding of the mechanics of a plant is essential. We needed to understand where phyto nutrients are produced, where they're stored, and the factors that keep them stable and available for the plant to use.
Through years of research, we’ve learnt that phyto nutrients are produced within the vascular tissue of the plant's leaves, roots, fruit and flowers. These nutrients are then transported through the internal vascular system (otherwise known as the xylem & phloem) of the plant using pressure gradients. The transportation of these nutrients helps protect the plant from external invasive environmental factors such as drought, insect attack and UV radiation.
The PNP™ liquid matrix (serum) that transports the nutrients throughout the plant keeps nutrients stable and protected from degradation and is vitally important to the health and wellbeing of the plant. The serum protects these highly unstable molecules from breaking down into their simple sugars and acids.
The phyto nutrients also give the plant its colour and help in the absorption of nutrients through the roots (water and nutrients) and leaves (photosynthesis). A plant uses a closed system to survive, grow and reproduce. It can open this system to let more nutrients in to boost the system when required and close it when threatened. This system has evolved over millions of years to create a unique, fundamentally sound production system that naturally works.
Extraction Science
Traditional commercial extraction processes such as maceration and percolation are highly ineffective when extracting phyto nutrients.
These processes involve the plant material being steeped in an evasive liquid (usually containing alcohol or synthetic additives) and stored for weeks. The end product is close-to-decaying plant material which has lost most of its phyto activity and may require the addition of preservatives and synthetic actives (standardisation) to function.
Plant Extracts provides over 260 extracts across the cosmetic, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and food and beverage industries using a revolutionary extraction technique developed and trademarked by Ross Macdougald.
The extraction technology used by Plant Extracts in 2020 has been in development since 2008. Our Cold Liquid Extraction Closed System (CLECS™) is the only extraction equipment designed and purpose-built in Australia with the unique function to capture potent phyto nutrients in their PNP™ cellular matrix. In a world first, the phyto nutrient protection (PNP™) protects the extracts and allows them to function as they do just as they do in the plant.
It's this revolutionary combination of the dynamic extraction process and technology that considers the inner workings of botanical sources.
Our innovative systems and processes are interchangeable to meet the delicate balance of various extractions and to be uniquely different when extracting from fruit, leaves, bark, seed and root.
Extraction Science
Traditional commercial extraction processes such as maceration and percolation are highly ineffective when extracting phyto nutrients.
These processes involve the plant material being steeped in an evasive liquid (usually containing alcohol or synthetic additives) and stored for weeks. The end product is close-to-decaying plant material which has lost most of its phyto activity and may require the addition of preservatives and synthetic actives (standardisation) to function.
Plant Extracts provides over 260 extracts across the cosmetic, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and food and beverage industries using a revolutionary extraction technique developed and trademarked by Ross Macdougald.
The extraction technology used by Plant Extracts in 2020 has been in development since 2008. Our Cold Liquid Extraction Closed System (CLECS™) is the only extraction equipment designed and purpose-built in Australia with the unique function to capture potent phyto nutrients in their PNP™ cellular matrix. In a world first, the phyto nutrient protection (PNP™) protects the extracts and allows them to function as they do just as they do in the plant.
It's this revolutionary combination of the innovative extraction process and technology that considers the inner workings of botanical sources providing quality extracts that far surpass any others available on the market.
Glossary of terms
Phyto nutrients
Substances found in plants that help protect living matter from germs, bugs, and environmental threats.
When extracted efficiently, phyto nutrients provide a range of health-based and cosmeceutical benefits.
Percolation
An extraction process that involves the slow descent of a solvent through a powdered substance until it absorbs specific constituents and drips out through the filtered bottom of the container. An ineffective process which takes time and can leave unstable extracts decaying requiring the addition of chemical ingredients.
Glossary of terms
Phyto nutrients
Substances found in plants that help protect living matter from germs, bugs, and environmental threats.
When extracted efficiently, phyto nutrients provide a range of health-based and cosmeceutical benefits.
Maceration
An extraction method by which products are diluted to help the serums flow out. An example of maceration is brewing tea bags. Another flawed extraction process where extracts can become unstable during the process.
Phyto Nutrient Protection (PNP™)
The most important part of the entire plant system. The liquid matrix transports nutrients to the areas of the plant to help them grow, reproduce, repair, and to create complex nutrients such as vitamin C. The liquid matrix keeps plant nutrients stable, active and provides a barrier against environmental threats such as air and water.
Percolation
An extraction process that involves the slow descent of a solvent through a powdered substance until it absorbs specific constituents and drips out through the filtered bottom of the container. An ineffective process which takes time and can leave unstable extracts decaying requiring the addition of chemical ingredients.
Synthetic ingredients
Synthetic ingredients are chemically made products designed to mimic a natural ingredient. Ascorbic acid is an example of a chemically based ingredient designed to mimic natural vitamin C.
Cold Liquid Extraction Closed System (CLECS II™)
Our revolutionary extraction technology re-designed, developed and purpose-built in Australia.
To find out more about the science behind Plant Extracts, call 02 6624 3944 today.
Maceration
An extraction method by which products are diluted to help the serums flow out. An example of maceration is brewing tea bags. Another flawed extraction process where extracts can become unstable during the process.
Synthetic ingredients
Synthetic ingredients are chemically made products designed to mimic a natural ingredient. Ascorbic acid is an example of a chemically based ingredient designed to mimic natural vitamin C.
Phyto Nutrient Protection (PNP™)
The most important part of the entire plant system. The liquid matrix transports nutrients to the areas of the plant to help them grow, reproduce, repair, and to create complex nutrients such as vitamin C. The liquid matrix keeps plant nutrients stable, active and provides a barrier against environmental threats such as air and water.
Cold Liquid Extraction Closed System (CLECS™)
Our revolutionary extraction technology re-designed, developed and purpose-built in Australia.
To find out more about the science behind Plant Extracts, call 02 6686 3455 today.