Comparing E160D - Lycopene vs E161J - Astaxanthin

Overview

E160D - Lycopene

Lycopene (E160d) is a red pigment found naturally in tomatoes and other red fruits. In foods, it is used as a colour additive to give shades ranging from pink to deep red, especially where a “tomato-like” hue is desired. It can come from tomatoes, fermentation, or be made synthetically, but it works the same in coloring foods.

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E161J - Astaxanthin

Astaxanthin (E161J) is a red-orange pigment from the carotenoid family. It appears naturally in microalgae and gives salmon, trout, shrimp, and krill their rosy color. In foods, it is mainly used for coloring via animal feed and in some regions as a supplement ingredient.

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Synonyms
E160d
Lycopene
E161j
Astaxanthin
Functions
colour
colour
Origins
Plant
Microbiological
Synthetic
Animal
Microbiological
Synthetic
Products

Found in 206 products

Found in 26 products

Search rank & volume
#8727K / mo🇺🇸U.S.
#4765K / mo🇺🇸U.S.
Awareness score

×18.73
over-aware

×306.57
over-aware

Search volume over time

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

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

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Popular questions

  1. What is lycopene good for?

    As a food additive (E160d), it provides a natural red color to foods; in the diet, it's an antioxidant carotenoid that’s been studied for heart and prostate health, though evidence for disease prevention is mixed.

  2. How much lycopene per day for prostate health?

    There’s no established medical dose; clinical studies often use about 10–30 mg/day from tomato products or supplements, but benefits are not confirmed—discuss supplementation with a healthcare professional.

  3. How much lycopene per day?

    There’s no RDA, but safety authorities set an acceptable daily intake of 0–0.5 mg/kg body weight/day (about up to 35 mg/day for a 70 kg adult); typical diets provide only a few milligrams per day.

  4. What does lycopene do?

    In foods, E160d colors products red and helps standardize appearance; in the body it acts as an antioxidant carotenoid with no vitamin A activity.

  5. What foods have lycopene?

    Naturally rich sources include tomatoes and tomato products (paste, sauce, ketchup), watermelon, pink grapefruit, guava, papaya, red carrots, and gac; as an additive, it appears on labels as lycopene or E160d in items like beverages, confectionery, sauces, and dairy desserts.

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  1. What is astaxanthin good for?

    As a food additive (E161j), it’s mainly used to give a pink–red color to seafood and aquaculture products (e.g., salmon, trout, shrimp) and to help protect fats from oxidation.

  2. How much astaxanthin per day?

    EFSA’s acceptable daily intake is 0.2 mg per kg body weight per day for consumer exposure; where supplements are allowed, typical doses are 4–8 mg/day, following local regulations and product directions.

  3. What does astaxanthin do?

    It functions as a carotenoid colorant that imparts pink–red hues and acts as an antioxidant, helping stabilize color and lipids in foods and aquaculture products.

  4. Is astaxanthin safe?

    Yes—within established limits it’s considered safe; in the EU it isn’t authorized as a general food color but is permitted in fish feed, and EFSA set an ADI of 0.2 mg/kg body weight/day to protect consumers.

  5. Astaxanthin para que sirve?

    Como aditivo alimentario (E161j), sirve para aportar color rojo‑rosado (p. ej., en salmón, trucha y camarón) y actuar como antioxidante, especialmente en productos de acuicultura.

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