Comparing E160AII - Plant carotenes vs E161H - Zeaxanthin

Overview

E160AII - Plant carotenes

Plant carotenes (E160a(ii)) are natural yellow‑to‑orange colorings extracted from plants such as carrots and certain vegetable oils. They are used to give foods a warm, appetizing hue and are permitted by major regulators when made to strict purity standards.

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E161H - Zeaxanthin

Zeaxanthin (E161h) is a yellow‑orange carotenoid pigment found naturally in foods like corn, orange peppers, and egg yolks. It’s used as a colouring ingredient in some markets and is better known as a component of eye‑health supplements alongside lutein. Regulatory rules vary by country, so you’ll most often see zeaxanthin on dietary supplement labels rather than everyday foods.

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Synonyms
E160aii
Plant carotenes
E161h
Zeaxanthin
Functions
colour
colour
Origins
Plant
Plant
Microbiological
Synthetic
Products

Found in 5 products

Found in 18 products

Search rank & volume
🇺🇸U.S.
#1518K / mo🇺🇸U.S.
Awareness score

Awareness data is not available.

×51.05
over-aware

Search volume over time

Search history data is not available.

Interest over time for 2 keywords in U.S. during the last 10 years.

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Popular questions

Popular questions data is not available.

  1. How much lutein and zeaxanthin should i take daily?

    There’s no official RDA, but clinical eye‑health studies commonly use 10 mg lutein plus 2 mg zeaxanthin per day (the AREDS2 ratio). Intakes in foods are much lower, and supplement needs depend on individual circumstances.

  2. What is lutein and zeaxanthin?

    They are yellow-orange xanthophyll carotenoids from plants; zeaxanthin is also used as a food color (E161h). In the body they concentrate in the macula and lens of the eye.

  3. How do you pronounce zeaxanthin?

    Zee-uh-ZAN-thin.

  4. How much lutein and zeaxanthin per day?

    No official RDA exists; research commonly uses 10 mg lutein with 2 mg zeaxanthin daily (AREDS2). Choose doses based on product directions or medical advice.

  5. What is the best brand of lutein and zeaxanthin?

    There’s no single “best” brand; look for reputable products that disclose amounts (often 10 mg/2 mg), use known sources like marigold (Tagetes erecta), and have third‑party testing (e.g., USP or NSF).

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