Patent ID: 6057484
Filing Date: 2000-05-02
Classification: C07C

Abstract:
A method of obtaining a composition containing 9-cis-.beta.-carotene, which consists essentially of a first step of washing a dry powder of alga belonging to Dunaliella with ethanol, adding hexane to stir the washed alga, subjecting to filtration, and concentrating a filtrate to obtain a semi-solid concentrate; a second step of adding hexane to said semi-solid concentrate in an amount ratio of 10-18 ml of hexane to 1 g of said semi-solid concentrate to stir the mixture of hexane and said semi-solid concentrate, subjecting the mixture to filtration, and concentrating a filtrate to obtain an oily concentrate; and a third step of adding hexane to said oily concentrate in an amount ratio of 2-4.5 ml of hexane to 1 g of said oily concentrate to dissolve said oily concentrate, leaving the solution, as it is, to cause a separation of solids, subjecting to filtration to obtain solids, washing the solids with ethanol, and drying the washed solids, wherein said solids contain 9-cis-.beta.-carotene in an amount of at least 75% based on the total amount of said solids.