METHOD OF PURIFYING CRUDE XANTHOPHYLLS

摘要

A method of purifying crude xanthophylls characterized by comprising treating the crude xanthophylls, which are obtained by extracting algae with a solvent, with a lipase in the presence of water under acidic conditions without controlling the pH value at a temperature of 4 to 90 DEG C to thereby selectively hydrolyze contaminating neutral lipids (mono-, di- and triglycerides), subjecting the lipase-treated liquor to oil/water separation, and then eliminating free fatty acids from the oily layer thus fractionated to thereby elevate the content of xanthophylls.