Abstract:

This work was conducted to investigate the saponification of lutein esters from marigold flowers. The effects
of type and amount of organic solvent, saponification temperature and time on the saponification rate of lutein esters as
determined by thin layer chromatography were explored. The optimal conditions for the saponification of lutein esters were
determined by single factor experiment and response surface analysis as follows: 2.0 g of lutein esters, 31.3 mL of absolute
ethanol, 2.1 g of potassium hydroxide, a saponification temperature of 60 ℃, and a saponification duration of 4 hours. Under
these optimal conditions, the average saponification rate of lutein esters reached 78.4%.

Key words: lutein esters, saponification, thin layer chromatography