PRODUCTION OF VITAMIN E

PURPOSE:To facilitate extraction of vitamin E and improve recovery ration without loss, by dipping a plant tissual body containing vitamin E in an edible oil and dehydrating the plant tissual body while heating in efficiently separating and concentrating the vitamin E from the above-mentioned plant tissual body. CONSTITUTION:A plant tissual body containing vitamin E, particularly preferably leaf of oil palm is directly or finely cut and dipped in a preheated or unheated vegetable oil and further heat normally at 120-200 deg.C, preferably about 140-160 deg.C. The pressure in heating is preferably reduced pressure thereby to remove water and give a dehydrated plant tissual body, which is then subjected to a mechanical means, e.g. oil press, etc., or solvent extraction to give an extract containing the vitamin E and fat or oil. The resultant extract is then steam distilled to afford the vitamin E and the separation residue is effectively utilized as a feed.