Comparing E120 - Cochineal vs E124 - Ponceau 4r
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Found in 456 products
Found in 14 products
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Interest over time for 6 keywords in U.S. during the last 10 years.
Interest over time for 6 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 does ponceau stain work?
In labs, “Ponceau stain” usually means Ponceau S (not the food color E124 Ponceau 4R); it’s an anionic azo dye that reversibly binds proteins on nitrocellulose or PVDF via electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions, giving red bands. As a similar sulfonated azo dye, E124 would color proteins non‑specifically by the same principle but isn’t the standard reagent.
How to image ponceau stained membrane?
Rinse to lower background, then image the wet membrane under white light with a flatbed scanner, gel imager, or phone camera—no special filters needed. After imaging, destain with water or TBST before immunodetection.
How to make ponceau s solution?
Ponceau S (different from E124) is typically prepared as 0.1% w/v dye in 5% v/v acetic acid in water; mix to dissolve and filter. Store at room temperature; optionally include ~0.1% SDS to speed staining.
How to make ponceau stain?
For protein blots, use Ponceau S: 0.1% w/v in 5% v/v acetic acid (water), filter, and use to briefly stain the membrane. E124 Ponceau 4R is a food colorant and isn’t standard for this application.
How to remove ponceau stain?
Wash the membrane in water or TBST until the red color disappears (typically 1–5 minutes); the staining is fully reversible and compatible with later antibody probing. If background persists, a brief rinse in dilute base (e.g., ~0.1 M NaOH) can clear it quickly.