Abstract: The research progress is reviewed and summarized on the degradations of β-carotene, whith include thermally oxidative degradation, pyrolysis, chemically oxidative degradation, photo-oxidative degradation, bio-oxidative degradation, and enzymatically catalyzed oxidative degradation, etc. There are some kinds of low-boiling-point oxygen-containing compounds as main products such as aldehydes, ketones, alcohols, carboxylic acids and their esters generated during degradation or pyrolysis of β-carotene through different routes or reaction mechanisms. The degradation products from β-carotene are important and usable for manufacturing flavors and perfumes.

Key words: β-carotene, degradation, pyrolysis, perfume