The preparation of β-carotene of a high degree of purity

Abstract

A brief description is given of the various treatments used to obtain 28 gm. of purified B-carotene starting with 1 kg. of carotene concentrate obtained from alfalfa meal. The crude concentrate in cotton seed oil had an E 1%1cm. value of 127 at 460 m [mu] in chloroform. A final 2 gm. sample further purified by 5 recrystal-lizations gave spectroscopic values in cyclohexane, chloroform, hexane, and benzene appreciably higher, according to the authors, than those recorded in recent literature.