This study investigates separation and purification of three turmerones from the turmeric oil extracted by supercritical carbon dioxide. Nearly, 800 g of supercritical carbon dioxide extraction of 75 g of 0.42 mm turmeric powders at 333 K and 300 bar obtained 6.98 wt% turmeric oil within 2.5 h. A response-surface methodology is adopted for optimizing supercritical carbon dioxide extraction to disclose that the combination of 320 K and 26 MPa gives an optimum production of turmeric oil containing 71 wt% purity of three turmerones. Subsequently, a normal phase silica gel 60 column is employed to separate and purify three major turmerones from the turmeric oil extracted by supercritical carbon dioxide. The 86 wt% purity of Ar-turmerone and 81 wt% purity of alpha+beta-turmerone have been separated, collected, and identified by liquid-solid chromatography, NMR qualification, and HPLC quantification, respectively. (C) 2005 Published by Elsevier B.V.