Vegetable Nutrient Extraction with Wet Jet Milling
By Andrea Campbell
Prepared by: Keisuke Yoneda, Applications Engineer, Sugino Corp.
Part of our Star Burst Applications Series
Vegetables contain a wide range of valuable nutrients, making them ideal for use in healthy foods, cosmetics, skincare, pharmaceuticals, and reinforcement materials. How you process vegetables and plant-based materials can have a big impact on the level of nutrient extraction. Wet jet milling vegetable fibers enhances bioavailability and digestibility by breaking down tough cellular structures, an essential step for efficiently releasing juices, flavors, and oils.
Star Burst Wet Jet Milling / Processing for Vegetable Fibers
The Star Burst wet-jet milling system addresses these challenges with ultra‑high‑pressure waterjet technology. It rapidly breaks down vegetable fibers, unlocking their embedded nutrients with outstanding efficiency.
Key benefits include:
- Higher extraction yield of active components
- Improved nutrient bioavailability for enhanced product performance
- Greater formulation flexibility for foods, supplements, and cosmetic applications
- Production of biodegradable cellulose additives for reinforcement, binding, and barrier functions
- Scalable, high‑productivity processing suitable for commercial manufacturing
With Star Burst, manufacturers can transform materials, such as rice bran, into premium, high‑value ingredients that fully deliver their natural benefits.
How Star Burst Works: Video
Before and After: Carrot Particle Size Distribution
Before and after Star Burst processing: carrot particle size distribution shifts dramatically after 3 passes. The median particle diameter (D50) drops from 1,042.9 µm to just 13.2 µm — a reduction of over 98% — transforming coarse, chunky material into a smooth, uniform slurry ready for food, supplement, or cosmetic formulation.
The results speak for themselves. In testing with carrot, Star Burst achieved a median particle size (D50) of just 13.2 µm after only 3 passes — down from a starting D50 of 1,042.9 µm. The D90 dropped from 1,824.6 µm to 21.0 µm, meaning 90% of particles are smaller than 21 microns after processing. This level of size reduction unlocks cellular structures, dramatically improving nutrient bioavailability and creating a smooth, homogeneous slurry suitable for direct use in functional foods, nutraceutical formulations, and topical cosmetic applications.
What industries can benefit from Star Burst wet jet milling for nutraceutical or plant-based products?
Functional Food & Nutraceutical Manufacturers
Companies producing protein powders, greens supplements, fiber blends, or vegetable-based capsules who need maximum nutrient density from raw plant inputs.
Plant-Based Food Ingredient Suppliers
Ingredient suppliers who sell concentrated vegetable extracts, powders, or emulsions to food manufacturing brands. Star Burst provides scalable, contamination-free processing.
Cosmetic & Skincare Formulators
Beauty brands and contract manufacturers using plant-derived actives in serums, creams, and masks. Product developers looking for micronized botanical particles for premium products.
Pharmaceutical & Nutraceutical R&D Labs
Research teams developing plant-based drug delivery systems or standardized botanical extracts where particle size consistency and purity need to be tightly controlled.
Agricultural / Food Waste Reduction
Organizations processing surplus or off-spec produce (bruised tomatoes, banana peels, vegetable trim) into usable ingredients.
Contract Manufacturers (CMOs) in Food & Pharma
Contract manufacturers who serve multiple clients across food, supplement, and cosmetic categories benefit from equipment versatility.
Cellulose & Biopolymer Material Developers
Companies developing biodegradable packaging films, binders, or composite reinforcement materials from plant cellulose.
Versatile Processing
Star Burst can efficiently mill a wide variety of produce, including tomatoes and bananas. This flexibility makes Star Burst a powerful solution for extracting nutrient-rich components across diverse applications.
Explore how Star Burst compares to other methods:
Star Burst vs. Other Common Processing Methods
