Abstract: A process for extraction of a soluble component from a dried food material, which process includes:providing:a dried food material to be extracted,an extracting liquid, andan enriching liquid consisting essentially of a solution of the soluble component to be extracted;forming a pool of the enriching liquid at a lower end of a counter current extractor including a rotary screw conveyor mounted within an inclined or vertical housing;feeding the dried food material into the lower end of the counter current extractor to contact the pool of enriching liquid wherein enriching liquid is absorbed by the dried food material to form a hydrated, enriched food material;conveying the hydrated, enriched food material upwardly toward an upper end of the counter current extractor by means of the rotary screw conveyor whilst contacting the hydrated, enriched food material with the extracting liquid which is fed into the other end of the counter current extractor and flows downwardly under gravity to join the pool of enrichin

Abstract: Tomatoes and other fruit may be processed so as to avoid destroying viscosity inducing components by passing the sliced fruit through a counter current extractor in counter current with an aqueous liquid, the liquid being at a temperature of at least 65.degree. C.; recovering a liquid phase from the lower end of the counter current extractor and a solid phase from the upper end of the extractor; recovering flavour and/or aroma components from the liquid phase; subjecting the solid phase to a finishing process to remove skins and/or seeds therefrom; and dewatering the finished solid phase to increase the viscosity thereof.