A method of extracting (meth)acrylic acid from an aqueous reaction medium, the aqueous reaction medium being formed from at least one base catalyst and at least one dicarboxylic acid selected from maleic, fumaric, malic, itaconic, citraconic, mesaconic, and citramalic acid or mixtures thereof in aqueous solution and containing the base catalysed decarboxylation products thereof including (meth)acrylic acid and/or (meth)acrylate base salt, the method comprising the steps of introducing an organic solvent to the said aqueous reaction medium for solvent extraction of the (meth)acrylic acid into an organic phase wherein the method is characterised in that there is added an additional amount of at least one of the said dicarboxylic acids and/or a pre-cursor thereof to the said aqueous reaction medium to enhance the solvent extraction of the (meth)acrylic acid into the organic solvent.