PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a highly pure, inexpensive and safe composition having high carotenoid content and a method for the industrial production of the composition and further provide functional foods, pharmaceutical compositions and cosmetics containing the composition.SOLUTION: The method for the production of a composition having a carotenoid content of &ge80% comprises the extraction of a carotenoid-containing culture product of a microorganism, a concentration product of the culture product or a dried product of the culture product with a lower alcohol, the concentration of the extracted liquid and the washing of the obtained precipitate with a water-containing lower alcohol or a combination of a water-containing lower alcohol and a hydrocarbon solvent. The invention further discloses foods, pharmaceutical compositions and cosmetics containing the carotenoid-containing composition.COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT【課題】高純度、安価かつ安全なカロテノイド高含有組成物及びその工業的な製造方法の提供。さらには該組成物を含有する機能性食品、医薬組成物、又は化粧品の提供。【解決手段】カロテノイドを含有する微生物培養物、該培養物の濃縮物、又は該培養物の乾燥物を低級アルコール類で抽出した後、抽出液を濃縮して得られる沈殿物を水含有低級アルコール類又は水含有低級アルコール類と炭化水素系溶媒類の組み合わせで洗浄することを特徴とするカロテノイド含量が80%以上の組成物の製造方法。及び該カロテノイド含有組成物を含有する食品、医薬組成物、又は化粧品。【選択図】なし
