The National Innovation Award is the highest award in the field of biomedicine and healthcare in Taiwan. “Plant Compound Extraction Technology Team,” formed by professors of the Department of Biochemical Science and Technology, National Chiayi University, was awarded the 18th National Innovation Award. The professor team consisted of Prof. Chen Cheng-Nan, Prof. Chen Ruey-Shyang, Prof. Chang Hsin-I, Prof. Liao Hui-Fen, Prof. Lin Yun-Wei, and Assistant Prof. Chen Yi-Yuan. They won the award for their development of mass production equipment and innovative process design with a focus on green extraction technology.

　　According to Chen Ruey-Shyang, Dean of the NCYU College of Life Sciences, the green extraction technology of plant compounds has been gaining attention from both the academia and industry in recent years. The plant extraction process they have developed does not require the use of organic solvents, which helps reduce the cost of the process and the negative impact on the ecology. It is a new technology that is energy-saving and eco-friendly, and is expected to facilitate the sustainable development of plant use. In addition, Taiwan currently relies on foreign imports for many plant extracts. The high dependence on imports not only results in higher costs, but makes traceability less manageable. This is not conducive to the sound development of the health foods industry in the country. With this award-winning technology, local health food materials that are competitive can be selected, standardized, and industrialized, thus contributing to upgrading of agriculture in Taiwan.

　　Prof. Chen Cheng-Nan, one of the team members, indicated that the innovative green extraction technology developed by the team, among its many advantages, saves energy and time, and does not require the use of organic solvents. Most noteworthy is the modularization of ultrasonic components, which offers specific process modules for a variety of plant materials. With the patented design of precise temperature control, the process parameters can be adjusted according to the characteristics of different plant species to maximize the efficiency of plant extraction. It helps maintain the highest biological activity of phytochemicals, and make them more absorbable to human body. The team has successfully developed a wide spectrum of precise temperature control and modular processes boasting heat-sensitive compounds or special ingredients. The processes can be applied to a wide array of health crops in a more comprehensive scale. Moreoever, the team has signed agreements on academic-industrial cooperation projects with a number of companies to facilitate development of therapeutic materials, and promote the use and applicability of the technology in the industry.

　　As Taiwan’s population is aging in recent years, people have become more aware of health and wellness, making the research and development relevant to Chinese herbs, health foods and new botanicals increasingly important. The extraction technology platform developed by the NCYU Department of Biochemical Science and Technology serves as an example for scholars to establish a mass production process based on research results. They can therefore collaborate with enterprises in developing new products, thus achieving a win-win situation for both the industry and academia.