Lutein Extraction Processes

A lutein extraction process, characterized in that the extraction procedure comprises:

• a. pulverizing marigold and adding an organic solvent to form a marigold solution, placing the marigold solution into an ultrasonic extraction vessel, performing ultrasonic extraction on the marigold solution at a marigold mass-to-organic solvent volume ratio of 1:20-60, a temperature of 20-40° C., an ultrasonic power of 100-500 W, and an extraction time of 10-60 minutes to obtain an extracted solution, filtering the extracted solution, and recovering the extracted solution to obtain a filtrate containing lutein ester;
• b. adding to the filtrate an alkaline solution that is twice the filtrate volume, and performing saponification on the lutein ester in the filtrate at 50-70° C. for 30-50 minutes to obtain a resultant product;
• c. washing the resultant product with deionized water until lutein crystallization occurs and a crystal solution results, and centrifuging the crystal solution to obtain crude lutein crystals;
• d. subjecting the crude lutein crystals to recrystallization with a mixed solvent system of tetrafuran/deionized water to obtain recrystallized lutein crystals;
• e. washing the recrystallized lutein crystals, and drying the recrystallized lutein crystals to obtain a crystal product of lutein.