Method of purifying crude xanthophylls

摘要

There is disclosed herein a process for purifying a crude xanthophyll which is characterized by acting a lipase on the crude xanthophyll, which is obtained by extracting algae with a solvent, in the present of water under an acidic condition without adjusting the pH whereupon the contaminating neutral lipids (mono-, di- and triglycerides) are selectively hydrolyzed, subjecting the lipase-treated liquor to oil/water separation and removing free fatty acids from the oil layer fractioned thereby elevating the content of xanthophyll.