What is Carmine Color?
Carmine color, also known as cochineal extract or E120 (outside of the U.S. and Canada), is a food color extracted from the female cochineal beetle (Dactylopius coccus costa)1. Carmine provides food with a deep red color.
Is Carmine color safe?
Carmine colors have been used for centuries around the world2. Carmine used in confectionery must meet or exceed U.S. government standards established by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (U.S. FDA).
How do I know if a product contains carmine color?
As of 2011, the U.S. FDA requires that carmine be declared on the ingredients statement be labeled as “cochineal extract” or “carmine”3.
Sources:
1CFR – Code of Federal Regulations Title 21 Sec. 73.100 Cochineal extract; carmine. (2013, April 1).
In U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Retrieved June 16, 2014, from
http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfCFR/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=73.100.
2Carmine. (n.d.). In CHR Hansen. Retrieved June 16, 2014, from
http://www.chr-hansen.com/products/product-areas/natural-colors/our-product-groups/carmine.html.
3Small Entity Compliance Guide: Declaration by Name on the Label of All Foods and Cosmetic Products That Contain Cochineal Extract and Carmine
In U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Retrieved June 21, 2022, from
https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents/small-entity-compliance-guide-declaration-name-label-all-foods-and-cosmetic-products-contain