How is carrot macerate produced?

A symbol of vitality, the carrot is a plant whose benefits for the skin have been appreciated for centuries, particularly for its illuminating and protective action. Its oil macerate is particularly rich in beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant precursor to vitamin A, which helps to combat oxidative stress, responsible for accelerating skin ageing. Moreover, it is particularly recommended for dull skin and supports cellular regeneration. Finally, its richness in lipids derived from the carrier oil also helps to strengthen the skin barrier, prevent dehydration and protect the epidermis from external aggressions, making the carrot oil macerate a choice ally in cosmetics, particularly for providing a natural healthy glow.

There are several methods for extracting the oil macerate from carrot roots. Among the most common processes are the traditional maceration of the roots in a vegetable oil and the extraction by oily solvent, a more modern technique that allows for better extraction of bioactive compounds. These two methods aim to extract the liposoluble molecules present in carrot roots, particularly carotenoids, by dissolving them in a carrier oil. The carrots used are harvested at maturity, before being dried, which optimises the release of their active ingredients.

1st method: the traditional cold or hot maceration process.

Once dried and grated to increase the contact surface, the roots are immersed in a vegetable oil, such as sunflower oil, jojoba or sesame, chosen for its stability and its ability to effectively dissolve active compounds. The mixture is then placed in a sealed container and left to macerate for several days to several weeks.

• Cold Maceration : Conducted at room temperature, this method relies on a gradual exchange between the plant and the oil, where the plant lipids slowly solubilise the carotenoids and other bioactive molecules present in carrot roots. Cold maceration allows for better preservation of heat-sensitive compounds but requires a longer extraction time, typically three to six weeks, with regular phases of stirring the mixture.

• Hot Maceration : this technique involves gently heating the oil (between 40 and 60°C) to accelerate the diffusion of active ingredients. Although it allows for a quick production of carrot oil macerate, it requires precise temperature control to prevent the degradation of sensitive molecules, notably beta-carotene, which is vulnerable to prolonged heat exposure.

2nd method: extraction using oily solvent.

The extraction by oily solvent is a modern method that allows for a more concentrated and stable carrot oil macerate to be obtained, while reducing the extraction time. Unlike traditional maceration, which relies on a slow diffusion of active ingredients into the oil, this technique relies on an accelerated mechanical process, where an oily solvent, that is to say a vegetable oil, passes through the carrot biomass under pressure in order to quickly and efficiently extract the bioactive molecules.

The process takes place in a sealed extraction chamber, where the vegetable oil used as a solvent is pressurised. This pressure allows the oily solvent to penetrate the roots more effectively and solubilise the carotenoids and other compounds from the carrot roots more efficiently. Under this pressure, the plant cells burst, thus facilitating the release of their constituents. During the decompression phase, the solubilised compounds are transferred into the oil, forming a carrot oil macerate rich in active ingredients.

Once the maceration process is complete, regardless of the method used, the carrot oil macerate is carefully filtered using a sieve or gauze to remove any plant residues. The resulting oil boasts an intense orange hue, indicative of its richness in carotenoids, and has a relatively fluid texture. It is then packaged in opaque, airtight bottles to limit its exposure to air and light, thereby preserving its antioxidant properties.

The carrot macerate used at Typology is obtained by macerating dried carrot roots from the Mediterranean basin in cold-pressed organic sunflower oil.