Our Aloe Vera Extraction Process
At almä, every step of the aloe vera extraction process is designed to preserve its full potential. Most companies rely on shortcuts that degrade enzymes and active compounds. Ourfarm and lab are side by side, ensuring fresh aloe is processed within 6 hours of harvest.
Step-by-Step Process
1. Initial Preparation
- Leaves are hand-processed: spines and base are removed.
- Aloin is drained naturally, and all byproducts are returned to the field as fertilizer.
- Most companies skip this step entirely.
2. Purification with Water Conveyer Belts
- Leaves are passed through two conveyer belts to fully remove aloin.
- Water is filtered and reused for irrigation on the farm.
3. Hand Filleting
- Outer rind is removed by hand, allowing trained staff to personally check andremove impurities.
4. Gel Formation & Inspection
- Gel is hand-mixed and checked by a designated inspector for quality at everystage.
- Homogenization ensures uniform consistency.
5. Cold Ethanol Extraction
- Gel is soaked in an ethanol chamber, completely bomb-proof and with aircycled three times per minute.
- Facility air is continuously tested for contaminants.
- Product is tested at this stage for humidity and integrity.
6. Centrifugation
- Removes moisture without heat (unlike others who use high heat, destroyingcompounds).
7. Batch Tracking
- Product is sorted into bins with unique batch numbers, traceable from leaf to bottle.
8. Freeze Drying (Lyophilization)
- A 30-hour process under extreme vacuum (atmospheric pressure reduced from1,600 to 100).
- Stabilizes acetyl groups on acemannan — preserving it for 6+ years againstheat, time, and oxygen.
- Preserves essential sugars found nowhere else.
- Ethanol is 98% recovered and recycled (derived from sugarcane).
9. Milling
- Aloe is milled under precise conditions to avoid denaturing compounds.
10. Final Steps
- Product is packed into capsules.
- Each batch undergoes extensive testing before release.
What We Don't Do
- Machine harvesting
- Using the entire leaf (adds filler, not bioactives)
- Pulp filtration (removes beneficial compounds)
- Decolorization (chemical denaturation)
- Concentration & pasteurization (destroys active compounds)
- Spray drying (eliminates essential sugars)
These shortcuts destabilize acemannan’s acetyl groups and degrade aloe step by step.
Why It Matters
- Acemannan, aloe’s most valuable compound, breaks down at just 145°F if notstabilized.
- Our cold ethanol + freeze-drying method keeps it intact, protecting both acetyl groupsand essential sugars.
- The result: aloe preserved for over 5 years, earning almä the distinction of beingrecognized as a natural product in Costa Rica, not just a supplement.
These shortcuts destabilize acemannan’s acetyl groups and degrade aloe step by step.