koncentraten

Koncentraten is a plural term used in several languages to refer to concentrated substances—materials from which water or other diluents have been removed to increase the proportion of solids or active components. The word is closely related to English "concentrates" and appears in industrial, food, chemical and pharmaceutical contexts. In German the singular is Konzentrat, while similar forms exist in Dutch, Scandinavian and other languages.

Common types include food and beverage concentrates (fruit juice, tomato, coffee), dairy and protein concentrates, metal ore concentrates produced by mineral processing, and chemical or pharmaceutical concentrates used as intermediates. In recent years the term has also been applied to cannabis extracts and other botanical concentrates with high levels of active compounds.

Production techniques vary with material and desired properties. Thermal evaporation, vacuum concentration, freeze concentration, membrane processes (reverse osmosis, ultrafiltration), spray drying and solvent or supercritical CO2 extraction are among standard methods. Many concentrates are designed for reconstitution with water or solvents, while others are end products.

Advantages of concentrates include reduced volume and weight for transport, longer shelf life, and higher potency. Disadvantages can include energy-intensive processing, potential loss of volatile components, and concentrated hazards requiring careful handling. Regulation and quality standards differ by sector; food and pharmaceutical concentrates are subject to labeling, compositional and safety rules, while industrial concentrates may be regulated by environmental and occupational safety legislation.