The suitable conditions were determined for the recovery of high-value antioxidative compound, -oryzanol, from low cost rice bran soapstock by-product of the rice bran oil industry. First, soapstock was saponified and was then dehydrated and extracted with ethyl acetate. The extract was further purified by crystallization twice in appropriate solvent systems. At the most suitable conditions, using 20%v/v of ethyl acetate in methanol, and at 30 degrees C and 1h for the first crystallization step, and 5 degrees C and 24h for the second, the yield and purity of -oryzanol were 55.17 +/- 0.59wt% and 74.60 +/-4.12wt%, respectively.