Patent ID: 6962725

Claim:
A low temperature process for extracting principal components from plants or plant materials, wherein the process comprises: (a) contacting raw plant material with an extracting organic polar solvent to form a solution containing principal components, impurities, and insoluble matter; (b) separating the insoluble matter from the solution to form a first extraction solution; (c) raising the pH of the first extraction solution to greater than 7 by adding a quantity of a base to form a solution containing principal components and insolubilized impurities; (d) separating the insolubilized impurities from the solution to form a second extraction solution; (e) neutralizing the second extraction solution by adding a quantity of an acid to form a solution containing principal components and salts; and (f) separating the principal components from the salts and from the organic polar solvent and recovering same.