The present work studied various aspects of extracting high value lipids from a model seed material (Amaranth cruentus) using supercritical carbon dioxide as solvent. Experimentally, it investigated the effects of process temperature, pressure, solvent flow rate, scale of extraction, and sample pre-treatment on the extraction rate and yield. It was found that the rate of extraction was function of the solvent flow rate, while the yield depended on the flow rate, pre-treatment, temperature and pressure. The solubility of Amaranth seed oil (regarded as a pseudo-component) was found to increase with temperature at high pressures and decrease with increasing temperature at lower pressures. Mathematical modelling of the solubility and the extraction process are discussed. (C) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.