AbstractThe dark color found in extracted oils from two new thin‐hull safflower varieties is formed from a colorless precursor or precursors, which for convenience will be considered a single precursor. This precursor is extracted into the oil from the kernel portion of the seed with hot hexane. It condenses to a dark pigment, if heated for prolonged times in excess of 100C, and was found in varying amounts in hot extracted oils of pigmentless, brown‐striped, and commercially grown Gila varieties. The color precursor can be removed from the oil by extraction with water or by alkali‐refining. The dark pigment can be removed by treatment with dilute alkaline peroxide. Oil, free of pigment and pigment precursor, can be obtained if the press‐cake or whole cracked seeds are extracted with hexane at room temperature.