Soy lecithin micronization by precipitation with a compressed fluid antisolvent - influence of process parameters

Phospholipids were successfully micronized. Supercritical antisolvent preci pitation (SAS) process was efficient in a wide range of experimental condit ions. Amorphous spherical and aggregated particles (from 1 to 40 mum) were obtained by spraying lecithin and ethyl alcohol solutions into flowing supe rcritical carbon dioxide. The increase of the solute concentration and solu tion flow rate had a marked influence upon the particle size, while pressur e did not seem to have any effect. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All right s reserved.