Annatto

A natural yellow-orange to red-orange colorant extracted from the seed coats of Bixa orellana, the annatto tree. The active pigments are bixin (oil-soluble) and norbixin (water-soluble), each producing distinct hues from butter yellow to deep cheddar orange.

Red to dark red oily liquid (bixin), or red to brown free-flowing powder (norbixin and emulsified forms). Two preparations dominate trade: oil-soluble bixin for fat-based applications, and water-soluble norbixin (the alkaline-saponified form) for dairy and aqueous applications.

We supply food-grade Annatto from manufacturers in China holding ISO, Halal, Kosher and other certifications relevant to the product and production.

Common market grades are sold by color strength: oil-soluble bixin at 1 percent, 2 percent, 4 percent, and 10 percent bixin content; water-soluble norbixin at 1.5 percent, 3 percent, 6 percent, and higher concentrations. Emulsified preparations are also produced for specific cheese and dairy applications.

Bulk and reduced-MOQ shipments. Batch-level COA covering bixin or norbixin content, color value, heavy metals, residual solvent, and microbiology.

Annatto has been used by indigenous peoples of South and Central America for body paint, textile dyeing, and food coloring for over a thousand years. The Spanish and Portuguese carried the plant and its color tradition to Europe, Africa, and Asia in the colonial period.

Production begins with mechanical or solvent extraction of the resinous seed coats of Bixa orellana. The crude extract is purified and split into two principal product streams: oil-soluble bixin in vegetable oil or as crystals, and water-soluble norbixin produced by saponifying bixin with potassium or sodium hydroxide.

Regulated as E160b in the EU, listed by the U.S. FDA as a permitted color additive exempt from certification, and approved by JECFA with separate Acceptable Daily Intakes for bixin and norbixin reflecting their different toxicological profiles.

Annatto's hue depends strongly on application chemistry. In oil-fat systems, bixin produces clean yellow to orange shades. In dairy and alkaline aqueous systems, norbixin shifts toward red-orange and is responsible for the distinctive color of orange-colored cheeses. Heat stability is good for short to moderate processing, and light stability is moderate.

Strategically, Annatto remains the natural colorant of choice for the cheese industry and is positioned as a clean-label replacement for synthetic Sunset Yellow (E110) and Tartrazine (E102) across snack, dairy, and bakery categories.

• Cheddar, Red Leicester, Mimolette, and other colored cheeses; the traditional and dominant cheese colorant globally
• Butter, margarine, and dairy spreads requiring natural yellow to orange coloration
• Smoked and processed fish including kippers, smoked haddock, and Caribbean preparations
• Salad dressings, sauces, and mayonnaise products positioned as clean-label
• Snack seasonings and savory coatings including cheese-flavor topical applications
• Bakery products including bread crumbs, breading systems, and certain baked goods
• Confectionery and ice cream requiring natural yellow to orange shades
• Cereal and breakfast foods seeking natural color positioning
• Pet food and aquaculture feeds for color and visual appeal