An extraction process comprising contracting a material to be extracted with an extracting fluid at elevated pressure within a defined space, and separating the extracted fluid and extract as a mass, from the extracted material while reducing the volume of the defined space and while maintaining the elevated pressure within the defined space. Apparatus for carrying out the process is adapted to separate the extracting fluid and the extract, as a mass, from the extracted material, while maintaining elevated pressure and reducing the volume as the point of separation.