E100 - Curcumin

At a glance

• What it is: The main coloring compound from turmeric root (Curcuma longa); used as a natural food color.
• What it does: Colors foods yellow to yellow‑orange; adds little to no flavor at typical use levels.
• Where you’ll see it: Mustards, curry products, snacks, baked goods, cheeses and sauces, desserts, and beverages.
• Solubility: Poorly soluble in water; mixes better with fats and alcohol.
• Labeling: May appear as “curcumin,” “E100,” or “turmeric extract.”

Why is Curcumin added to food?

Food makers use curcumin to give a consistent yellow color that looks bright and appetizing. Color helps consumers recognize flavors and brand styles, especially in products like mustard, curry sauces, snack coatings, and beverages. It works at very low levels and usually does not change the taste.

What foods contain Curcumin?

You can find curcumin in many everyday items, such as:

• Condiments like yellow mustard and curry pastes
• Snack seasonings and instant noodle flavor packets
• Baked goods, fillings, and dessert mixes
• Dairy and dairy‑type foods, such as processed cheese sauces and yogurt drinks
• Soft drinks, juices, and flavored waters
• Pickles and relishes

Rules about where and how much can be used vary by country, but the use is widely permitted in many food categories.

What can replace Curcumin?

When a similar shade is needed, manufacturers might switch to:

• Plant colors such as beta‑carotene, annatto, or paprika extract
• Vitamins with color like riboflavin
• A synthetic lemon‑yellow like tartrazine
• Specialty natural options such as saffron

The best substitute depends on the target shade, clarity, processing conditions, and whether a “natural” label is important.

How is Curcumin made?

Commercial curcumin is typically extracted from dried turmeric rhizomes. The plant material is cleaned, ground, and extracted with food‑grade solvents to produce a turmeric oleoresin. The coloring compounds (curcuminoids) are then purified and standardized to make the food additive known as curcumin (E100).¹

Is Curcumin safe to eat?

Curcumin as a color additive has been evaluated by major regulators. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) set an acceptable daily intake (ADI) of 0–3 mg per kilogram of body weight per day for curcumin used as a food color.² In the United States, turmeric and turmeric oleoresin (the sources of curcumin color) are listed color additives exempt from certification and may be used in foods under specified conditions.³⁴

As with any additive, actual safety depends on how much is consumed. Typical intakes from colored foods and drinks are designed to stay within regulatory limits.

Does Curcumin have any benefits?

Curcumin is often studied for antioxidant and anti‑inflammatory properties, but research findings are mixed, and many studies use doses much higher than you would get from colored foods. Current U.S. government health resources describe the evidence for health benefits as limited and still evolving.⁵ In foods, curcumin’s role is to provide color, not to treat or prevent disease.

Who should avoid Curcumin?

• People advised to avoid turmeric or curcumin supplements (for example, those with certain gallbladder issues or on blood‑thinning medicines) should talk with a healthcare professional. These cautions mainly apply to high‑dose supplements, not the tiny amounts used to color foods.⁵
• Anyone with a known allergy or intolerance to turmeric‑containing products should avoid foods colored with curcumin.

Myths & facts

• Myth: “Natural colors are always safer than artificial ones.” Fact: Safety depends on dose and testing. Both natural and synthetic colors are evaluated and regulated.
• Myth: “Curcumin in food gives medicinal benefits.” Fact: Food‑use levels are very low and intended only for color.
• Myth: “Curcumin tastes like curry.” Fact: At typical levels, it adds color with little to no flavor impact.
• Myth: “Curcumin is water‑soluble.” Fact: It dissolves poorly in water and disperses better in fats or with emulsifiers.

Curcumin in branded foods

You might see curcumin listed on the ingredient label of yellow mustards, curry sauces, snack chips, macaroni‑and‑cheese style powders, yogurt drinks, fruit beverages, pickled vegetables, and bakery fillings. Brands use it to reach a specific golden shade that matches consumer expectations.

References

Footnotes

1. Specifications for food additives — E 100 Curcumin (Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012) — EUR‑Lex. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2012/231/oj ↩

2. Scientific Opinion on the re‑evaluation of curcumin (E 100) as a food additive — EFSA. https://efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/1679 ↩

3. Turmeric; Color additives exempt from certification — 21 CFR 73.600 (eCFR). https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-A/part-73/subpart-A/section-73.600 ↩

4. Turmeric oleoresin; Color additives exempt from certification — 21 CFR 73.615 (eCFR). https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-A/part-73/subpart-A/section-73.615 ↩

5. Turmeric: What You Need To Know — National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH). https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/turmeric ↩ ↩²