Abstract: A process for the recovery of carotenes and the production of carotene concentrate from natural oils and fats. The carotene-containing natural oils and fats is subjected to alcoholic esterification to form a mixture of fatty acid alkyl esters, carotenes, tocopherols and tocotrienols. The alkyl esters mixture is subjected to vacuum distillation at a pressure of less than 60 mTorr and a temperature of less than 180.degree. C. to form a carotene-rich concentrate. The carotenes in the carotene-rich concentrate are adsorptively separated, concentrated and collected as carotene-rich fraction.