A carotenoid, a higher fatty acid having a total carbon number of 12 or more in a mass ratio of 0.001 to 2 times the carotenoid, and a surfactant other than the higher fatty acid having a total carbon number of 12 or more. A carotenoid-containing oil-in-water emulsion composition in which the average particle size of the emulsion particles is 120 nm or less.カロチノイドと、前記カロチノイドに対して質量比で0.001倍量~2倍量の総炭素数12以上の高級脂肪酸と、前記総炭素数12以上の高級脂肪酸以外の界面活性剤と、を含有し、エマルション粒子の平均粒子径が120nm以下であるカロチノイド含有水中油型エマルション組成物。