Abstract: To establish an eco-friendly and efficient method for extracting natural lutein while enhancing its stability, this study employed menthol-based deep eutectic solvents (DESs) for the extraction of lutein from imperial chrysanthemum and the preparation of lutein-menthol cocrystals. The feasibility of this approach was evaluated through the analysis of the antioxidant activity of the extracted lutein solutions, as well as the stability and composition of the cocrystals. Firstly, the extraction efficiency of six DESs (menthol-acetic acid, menthol-propionic acid, menthol-octanoic acid, menthol-decanoic acid, menthol-hexanoic acid, and menthol-lactic acid) for lutein was compared, identifying DES-1 (menthol-acetic acid) as the optimal eutectic solvent. Subsequently, single-factor investigations were conducted on ethanol content, solid-to-liquid ratio, extraction temperature, and extraction time. By employing response surface methodology, the extraction process was optimized to determine the optimal conditions: an ethanol content of 47% (v/v), a solid-to-liquid ratio of 1:45 (g/mL), and an extraction temperature of 69 ℃. Under these conditions, lutein extraction achieved 644.11±1.99 μg/g. Antioxidant activity tests revealed that the lutein solution extracted using DES-1 exhibited radical scavenging rates of 77.52% against hydroxyl radicals and 84.58% against DPPH radicals, significantly higher than those obtained via conventional ethanol extraction (P<0.01). Thermal stability (30 ℃/75%RH) and photostability (4500 Lux/25 ℃) tests indicated that the retention rates of the lutein-menthol cocrystals were significantly higher than those of commercial lutein, with values of 84.34% and 33.73%, respectively. Mechanistically, the formed cocrystal structure physically impedes oxygen permeation, while the alcohol hydroxyl groups at both ends of lutein form strong hydrogen bonds with the hydroxyl group on menthol, significantly enhancing stability. The cocrystal was analyzed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), which identified 33 xanthophylls, including lutein and lutein palmitate; The content of lutein extracted amounted to 107.93±11.36 μg/g. The lutein-menthol cocrystals prepared in this study significantly enhance the stability of lutein, presenting new opportunities for its practical development and utilization.