An Improved Analytical Procedure for the Determination of Xanthophyll

Abstract

Abstract A modified procedure is described for the determination of carotene and xanthophyll in fresh and dehydrated alfalfa and grass meal. In this method, both carotene and total xanthophyll can be measured from a single extract. The carotenoids in dehydrated alfalfa or grass meal are extracted by overnight soaking in hexane-acetone (7:3) ; those in the fresh plant material are rapidly extracted by blending with acetone. A cold saponification method eliminates possible chlorophyll contamination of the xanthophyll fraction during chromatography. Data on the precision of the modified methods are presented