E161G - Canthaxanthin

At a glance

• What it is: An orange‑red carotenoid colour (E‑number E161g) used to tint foods.
• Typical hue: Yellow‑orange to deep orange‑red, depending on dose and recipe.
• Solubility: Fat‑soluble; often dispersed in oils or emulsions.
• Where you might see it: Drinks, dessert mixes, sauces, processed cheeses, bakery icings, and dietary supplements.
• Label names: “Canthaxanthin,” “E161g,” or “colour.”
• Regulatory snapshot: Permitted as a food colour with defined specifications in the EU; allowed in the U.S. as a color additive exempt from certification when used in line with regulations.

Why is Canthaxanthin added to food?

Food makers use canthaxanthin to deliver a warm, appetizing orange‑red shade that can be hard to achieve with other colours. Because it is fat‑soluble and relatively heat‑ and light‑stable compared with many natural pigments, it works well in fatty foods, emulsions, and dry mixes. As a member of the carotenoids, it blends naturally with shades from other carotenoids such as beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, and lycopene.

What foods contain Canthaxanthin?

You may find canthaxanthin in:

• Powdered drink mixes and ready‑to‑drink beverages
• Dessert powders, jellies, and confectionery
• Sauces, soups, and seasoning blends
• Processed cheeses and spreads
• Bakery toppings, icings, and fillings
• Dietary supplements and fortified foods

Actual use depends on local rules and each brand’s recipe.

What can replace Canthaxanthin?

Alternatives depend on the target shade, processing, and whether a “from natural sources” claim is desired.

• Warmer orange: beta-carotene, annatto, or paprika extract
• Redder tones: lycopene
• Yellow‑orange, milder hue: lutein or zeaxanthin Each colour behaves differently in heat, light, and varying pH, so formulators often run trials to match shade and stability.

How is Canthaxanthin made?

Food‑grade canthaxanthin used today is typically produced by chemical synthesis, then standardized and formulated (for example, as oil dispersions or beadlets) to help it blend into foods. The European Union sets detailed identity and purity specifications for E161g in its food‑additive specifications regulation.¹

Is Canthaxanthin safe to eat?

Yes—within regulatory limits. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) reviewed canthaxanthin and established an acceptable daily intake (ADI) of 0.03 mg per kilogram of body weight per day, concluding it is safe at permitted use levels in foods.² In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lists canthaxanthin as a color additive exempt from certification for use in foods in accordance with good manufacturing practice (GMP).³

Very high intakes from non‑food uses (for example, past “tanning pill” doses) have been linked to reversible deposits in the retina, a condition historically termed “canthaxanthin retinopathy”; this is not expected with normal dietary exposure from approved food uses.² As with all additives, manufacturers must meet purity specs and use only the amount needed for the intended effect.

Notes on terms:

• ADI (acceptable daily intake): the amount considered safe to consume every day over a lifetime.
• GMP (good manufacturing practice): using the minimum amount necessary to achieve the desired effect.

Does Canthaxanthin have any benefits?

Canthaxanthin’s role in food is cosmetic: it provides color. While it is a carotenoid, it is not a provitamin A and does not convert to vitamin A in the body.⁴ Any antioxidant activity observed in laboratory tests is not a reason to consume it beyond what is used to color foods.

Who should avoid Canthaxanthin?

• People advised by their healthcare provider to avoid carotenoid supplements should check labels on high‑dose products.
• Anyone with a history of sensitivity to specific color additives should review ingredient lists and consider discussing options with a clinician.
• For infants and young children, always follow local guidance on colored foods and choose age‑appropriate products.

Myths & facts

• Myth: “Canthaxanthin tans your skin when eaten.” Fact: At very high supplemental doses (not from normal foods), it has caused reversible eye deposits; it is not a safe or recommended way to tan.
• Myth: “All orange‑red foods use canthaxanthin.” Fact: Many shades come from other carotenoids like annatto, paprika extract, beta-carotene, or lycopene.
• Myth: “It’s water‑soluble.” Fact: Canthaxanthin is fat‑soluble; formulators use emulsions or carriers to disperse it in water‑based foods.

Canthaxanthin in branded foods

On ingredient lists, look for “canthaxanthin,” “colour,” or “E161g” (EU/UK). In the U.S., it appears by name under color additives. You’ll most often see it in orange‑to‑red tinted beverages, dessert mixes, processed cheeses, sauces, and some supplements aiming for a warm hue.

References

Footnotes

1. Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012 — Specifications for food additives. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32012R0231 ↩

2. Re-evaluation of canthaxanthin (E 161g) as a food additive — EFSA Journal (2010). https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2010.1852 ↩ ↩²

3. 21 CFR 73.75 — Canthaxanthin; color additives exempt from certification — U.S. FDA (eCFR). https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-A/part-73/subpart-A/section-73.75 ↩

4. Canthaxanthin — PubChem, National Institutes of Health. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Canthaxanthin ↩