Extraction of clove using pressurized hot water

Subcritical water extraction was used to extract eugenol and eugenyl acetate from clove at various temperatures and pressures where water was in either the liquid or gas (steam) phase. Several solid phase materials were tested in order to quantitatively and selectively collect the analytes after the water extraction. Quantitative collection of eugenol and eugenyl acetate could be achieved using a C18 solid phase trap. The extraction kinetics with subcritical water was very fast at high temperatures (250 degreesC and 300 degreesC), giving a 100% recovery after 15 min for eugenol and eugenyl acetate, compared to extraction at 125 degreesC, where the same recovery was achieved only after 80 min extraction. In addition. both eugenol and eugenyl acetate proved to be stable at the highest extraction temperature (300 degreesC) used in this study. Copyright (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.