Question
Asked 9th Jun, 2015

Can anybody recommend a good *edible* organic solvent?

I would like to create mixtures of plant volatiles dissolved in non-toxic, edible, solvent. Ideally, it should readily dissolve organic non-polar volatile compounds and to be as little complex as possible (i.e. not to contain too much noise). 

Most recent answer

Omer Nevo
German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig
I see. Thanks again!
I will make some tests with ethanol and see if I can get all the required compounds well dissolved.

All Answers (4)

Ethanol is most known " edible " ( drinkable ) solvent (after water). 3-Methoxy-3-Methyl-1-Butanol (MMB), PEG-400, glycerol and propylene carbonate are also edible/drinkable solvents
2 Recommendations
Omer Nevo
German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig
Thank you very much. 
Do you have any experience in using commercial vegetable oils as solvents for rather hydrophobic plant natural products (e.g. terpenoids)?
Yes, I do. But it was not terpenoids alone but non-separable mixture of all hydrophobic compounds from sea-buckthorn cake. Vegetable oil have complex composition so it is not correspond to your header question.
Omer Nevo
German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig
I see. Thanks again!
I will make some tests with ethanol and see if I can get all the required compounds well dissolved.

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