Improved, safe process for the purification of ketones obtained by ozonolysis and subsequent reduction of the corresponding terpenes, in which, after the ozonolysis and reduction of acyclic mono-, bi- or tricyclic terpenes with ozonizable double bonds, converting the resulting corresponding crude ketone into a high-purity ketone by means of steam distillation at atmospheric pressure or at reduced pressure, extraction of the steam distillate and subsequent distillation.