Comparing E120 - Cochineal vs E123 - Amaranth
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Synonyms
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Found in 456 products
Found in 7 products
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Search volume over time
Interest over time for 6 keywords in U.S. during the last 10 years.
Interest over time for 3 keywords in U.S. during the last 10 years.
Popular questions
What foods contain cochineal?
It’s used to color red/pink foods such as strawberry yogurts and dairy drinks, ice creams, candies and confections, jams and glazes, bakery icings, soft drinks/liqueurs, and sometimes processed meats or seafoods. On labels it may appear as “carmine,” “cochineal extract,” or E120.
Is cochineal extract bad for you?
No—major regulators permit it and consider it safe at typical food-use levels, though a small number of people can have allergic reactions (occasionally severe).
What is cochineal extract?
A natural red colorant obtained from dried cochineal insects; its main coloring compound is carminic acid. It may be converted to the aluminum lake form (carmine) for greater stability.
Is cochineal safe to eat?
Yes—within permitted levels it’s considered safe; the acceptable daily intake is 0–5 mg/kg body weight per day (as carminic acid). Rare allergies can occur, and it’s animal‑derived so not suitable for vegetarians/vegans.
What is cochineal used for?
To provide red to pink shades in foods and drinks (e.g., confectionery, beverages, dairy products, desserts) as a stable natural colorant.
How to cook amaranth?
E123 amaranth is a synthetic food dye, not the edible grain, so it isn’t cooked; where legal, manufacturers dissolve tiny amounts into foods to add red color. It’s banned in the United States and not intended for home use.
Is amaranth gluten free?
Yes—E123 amaranth is a synthetic colorant and contains no gluten; any gluten risk would come from the finished product or added carriers, not the dye itself.
How to eat amaranth?
You don’t eat E123 by itself; where permitted, it’s simply present in colored foods (e.g., glacé cherries or confections) and consumed as part of those products.
What does amaranth taste like?
At permitted levels E123 has virtually no taste; it’s used to impart a red hue, not flavor.
What is amaranth in stardew valley?
In Stardew Valley, “amaranth” is the grain crop and is unrelated to E123. E123 is a synthetic red dye used to color foods in some countries and is banned in the U.S.