This Section describes a method for the determination of the carotenoid content of vegetable oils by spectrophotometric examination in the visible range of the spectrum. The method described is applicable to vegetable oils if the greater part of their colour is due to carotenoid pigments and, in particular, to palm oil, which in the crude or unprocessed form usually contains between 300 mg/kg to 1500 mg/kg, expressed as carotene.