Carotenes (beta-carotene)
What it does
Orange colour; vitamin A precursor.
How it's made
Extracted from plants (carrots, algae) or synthesised.
Carotenes, including beta-carotene, are natural yellow-to-orange pigments found in carrots, and many other fruits and vegetables. As a food colour they give yellow and orange shades to margarine, dairy products, drinks and desserts, and beta-carotene also acts as a source of vitamin A in the body.
The colour is obtained either by extracting it from natural sources — carrots, algae such as Dunaliella, or palm oil — using food-grade solvents, or by making it synthetically. Extraction dissolves the fat-soluble carotenes out of the plant material, after which the solvent is removed and the pigment concentrated; the synthetic route builds the identical molecule through a series of chemical steps.
Whether extracted or synthesised, the carotene is purified and standardised, and because it is fat-soluble it is often supplied dispersed in oil or formulated into water-dispersible beadlets. The finished colour gives natural-looking yellows and oranges and doubles as a nutrient.
Possible reactions
Generally safe; very high intake can turn skin orange.