Curcumin (turmeric)
What it does
Yellow-orange colour.
How it's made
Extracted from turmeric root (Curcuma longa) with solvents, then purified.
Curcumin is the bright yellow-orange colour extracted from turmeric, the spice made from the root of Curcuma longa. It is a natural colour used to give a warm yellow to products such as mustard, curries, dairy products and confectionery, and it is one of the most widely used plant-based food colours.
It is obtained by extracting dried, ground turmeric root with food-grade solvents, which dissolve the coloured curcuminoid pigments out of the plant material. The solvent extract is then filtered and the solvent removed, and the colour is purified and often crystallised to increase its strength and consistency, since raw turmeric varies in pigment content.
The result is a concentrated curcumin colour, supplied as a powder or in oil- or water-dispersible forms to suit different foods. Because curcumin does not dissolve well in water on its own, it is frequently formulated with carriers or emulsifiers so that it spreads evenly through the food it is colouring.
Possible reactions
Generally well tolerated; rare contact allergy.