Comparing E160B - Annatto vs E129 - Allura red

Synonyms
E160b
Annatto
bixin
norbixin
roucou
achiote
annatto norbixin
annatto bixin
Orlean
Terre orellana
L. Orange
CI Natural Orange 4
E129
Allura red
Allura red ac
Allura Red AC
FD&C Red 40
FD and C Red 40
Red 40
Red no40
Red no. 40
FD and C Red no. 40
Food Red 17
C.I. 16035
Red 40 lake
Functions
Products

Found in 11,746 products

Found in 26,926 products

Search rank & volume
#3679.9K / mo🇺🇸U.S.
#9156.5K / mo🇺🇸U.S.
Awareness score

×0.99
normal

×0.85
normal

Search volume over time

Interest over time for 12 keywords in U.S. during the last 10 years.

Interest over time for 12 keywords in U.S. during the last 10 years.

Popular questions
  1. Is annatto bad for you?

    Annatto (E160b) is generally considered safe at typical food use levels, with regulatory bodies recognizing it and setting acceptable daily intakes for its pigments. A small number of people may have allergic reactions (e.g., hives or itching), so they should avoid it.

  2. What is annatto color?

    Annatto color is a natural yellow‑orange dye from the seeds of the achiote tree (Bixa orellana), mainly composed of the carotenoids bixin and norbixin. It’s commonly used to color foods like cheeses, butter, and snacks.

  3. What is annatto extract?

    Annatto extract is the standardized color additive obtained by extracting the pigments bixin (oil‑soluble) or norbixin (water‑soluble) from annatto seeds. These forms are used to impart yellow to orange hues in foods depending on whether the product is fat‑ or water‑based.

  4. Why is annatto bad for you?

    It isn’t generally bad for you; concerns mainly involve rare allergic reactions or intolerance in sensitive individuals. Authorities have set safety limits (ADIs) for its extracts, and typical dietary exposure is well below these levels.

  5. Que es achiote?

    El achiote (annatto, E160b) es un colorante natural obtenido de las semillas de Bixa orellana que aporta tonos amarillo‑naranja a los alimentos. Sus pigmentos principales son bixina (liposoluble) y norbixina (hidrosoluble), usados en productos como quesos y mantequilla.

  1. Why is red 40 bad?

    Concerns focus on it being a synthetic azo dye and on studies suggesting small effects on attention and activity in some children (the EU requires a behavior warning label for E129). It may also trigger rare hypersensitivity reactions, though regulators (FDA, EFSA, JECFA) consider it safe at approved levels.

  2. Why is red 40 banned?

    It isn’t broadly banned—FD&C Red No. 40 is allowed in the U.S. and EU (with an EU warning about possible effects on children’s behavior). Some jurisdictions, schools, or brands choose to avoid it, but that’s a policy choice rather than a general prohibition.

  3. What is red 40 made of?

    Allura Red AC is a synthetic azo dye produced from petroleum‑derived aromatic compounds, typically used as its water‑soluble sodium salt (also available as calcium/potassium salts or aluminum lakes).

  4. What does red 40 do to your body?

    Most ingested Red 40 is not absorbed and is excreted; some is broken down by gut bacteria to aromatic amines. In sensitive individuals it can cause intolerance-like reactions, and some children may experience small, reversible changes in activity/attention; within the ADI (~7 mg/kg body weight/day) it’s considered safe by major regulators.

  5. What is red dye 40 made of?

    It’s a synthetic azo dye made from petroleum‑derived aromatic compounds, usually supplied as the water‑soluble sodium salt (and sometimes as calcium/potassium salts or aluminum lakes).