Fabrication and performance evaluation of hand operated Aloe vera gel extractor

Abstract

Aloe vera is one of the oldest known medicinal plants but it is now realized that many of its active constituent may be addressed in different ways by different formulations. A hand operated Aloe vera gel extractor was made. The adjusting screw was changed with its position and upper portion is covered. All components were assembled to make a hand operated Aloe vera gel extractor suitable for extracting gel from Aloe vera leaf on small scale. Leaf splitter method, roller squeezing method and whole leaf processing method are being used now days to extract Aloe vera gel on large scale production. But this hand operated Aloe vera gel extractor would aid the small-scale producers in easy production of the gel giving the consumers much pure and chemical free gel that than that extracted from different methods as mentioned above. Performance of this hand operated Aloe vera gel extractor was evaluated by extracting gel from 2 kg Aloe vera leaf which yields 1.4 kg of the gel. Hand operated Aloe vera gel extractor was also economically suitable for small scale farmers, who can grow Aloe vera plant and extract Aloe vera gel in small scale. It requires small capital for small and marginal farmers. This extractor also gives pure and chemical free Aloe vera gel. Moreover, the extractor could also be used for commercial and household purposes if sold as Aloe vera gel extracting machine in the market. The modified gel extractor was for evaluated for its performance.