Abstract: This paper summarized the main degradation pathways of the carotenoids in higher plants. The article pointed out that the major ways of the carotenoid degradation are enzymatic and non-enzymatic. The former is catalyzed by β-carotenehydroxylase (BCH), carotenoid cleavage dioxygenases (CCD) or lipoxygenase(LOX), the later includes direct chemically oxidative, photo- and thermo-oxidative degradation. Thereinto, the thermo-oxidative degradation involves the degradations under mild (0-100℃) and severe (300-800℃) conditions. However, the regulatory mechanisms of the carotenoid degradations are not completely clear. The paper would provide a theoretical basis for the artificial control of the carotenoid degradations in the production and processing of the higher plants products.