Abstract: An extract from green plant materials includes controlled concentrations of nutritional components. In one embodiment, the nutritional components include at least one xanthophyll, at least one hydrocarbon carotene, and at least one fatty acid wherein the xanthophyll, hydrocarbon carotene, and fatty acid each have about equal weight percentages. In a one embodiment, the green plant is alfalfa, the xanthophyll is lutein, the hydrocarbon carotene is ?-carotene, and the fatty acids include an omega-3 essential fatty acid, an omega-6 essential fatty acid, or a combination of the acids thereof.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for extracting carotenoids from green plant materials using supercritical fluid extraction. A first and second supercritical fluid extraction is performed on the green plant composition at two different pressures to obtain two extracts. The first extract includes substantial amounts of ?-carotene. The second extract may have a controlled concentration of ?-carotene, and includes substantial amounts of lutein.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for extracting carotenoids from green plant materials using supercritical fluid extraction. A first and second supercritical fluid extraction is performed on the green plant composition at two different pressures to obtain two extracts. The first extract includes substantial amounts of &bgr;-carotene. The second extract may have a controlled concentration of &bgr;-carotene, and includes substantial amounts of lutein.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for extracting carotenoids from green plant materials using supercritical fluid extraction. A first and second supercritical fluid extraction is performed on the green plant composition at two different pressures to obtain two extracts. The first extract includes substantial amounts of &bgr;-carotene. The second extract is substantially free of &bgr;-carotene, and includes substantial amounts of lutein.

Abstract: A process of producing ethyl alcohol is disclosed in which the wort is formed by separately supplying to a fermentation tank (1) a moist particulate feed containing a component convertible to a fermentable sugar under pressure and at a temperature in excess of about 250.degree. F. (preferably using an auger feed having a restrictive outlet) which induces rapid conversion to fermentable sugar before the feed enters the wort, and (2) an aqueous liquor which mixes with the converted feed to form the wort which contains yeast or other microorganism for converting the fermentable sugar to ethyl alcohol. The firmentation process is desirably carried out continuously, a portion of the wort being continuously or periodically removed, and the solids removed therefrom to provide a beer which is distilled to remove alcohol and provide a sugar-containing aqueous liquor which is recycled to the fermentation tank.

Abstract: Apparatus for continuously fermenting a moist particulate feed and distilling the fermentation product is disclosed in which a pressure-locked auger forces a moist particulate feed from a hopper into a fermentation tank, liquor is removed from the tank and solids are separated therefrom to produce a beer which is distilled in a distillation column. A combustion engine powers the auger and the means for separating solids, and the engine exhaust surrounds an inlet section of said auger to help heat the pressurized feed therein to produce fermentable sugar within the auger, and the auger includes a section passing to the tank in heat exchange relation to the distillation column to provide heat for distillation. The column is a multistage column angled to face the sun and has an upper glass plate to allow solar radiation to enter and penetrate between the foraminous plates of the column.

Abstract: An inflatable collector for solar energy is provided in which superposed layers of plastic sheet material are heat sealed to one another to provide a pair of layers providing an absorber unit in which the upper layer is pigmented to absorb solar radiation and the pair of layers are sealed to one another in a pattern providing a continuous elongated path. Fluid is supplied to one end of this elongated path and at least one transparent layer is provided overlying the pair of layers, to provide a return space above the pair of layers, and valve means are provided to interconnect the end of the elongated path remote from the fluid supply end with the return space so that fluid heated in the elongated path is further heated in the return space before being withdrawn from the collector.