Paprika Extract
What it does
Orange-red colour.
How it's made
Extracted from paprika/peppers.
Paprika extract (containing the pigments capsanthin and capsorubin) is a natural orange-red colour obtained from sweet red peppers. It is used to colour snacks, sauces, processed meats and cheeses with warm orange-to-red shades and carries a mild pepper flavour.
It is made by extracting dried, ground red peppers (Capsicum annuum) with food-grade solvents, which dissolve the fat-soluble red pigments out of the pepper flesh. The extract is filtered and the solvent removed, leaving an oily, deeply coloured oleoresin that also contains some of the pepper's natural flavour.
The oleoresin is standardised for colour strength and, if a milder taste is wanted, can be further refined to reduce flavour and pungency. Being oil-soluble, it is supplied as an oil or in dispersible forms, and it is popular as a natural colourant especially in savoury foods.
Possible reactions
Generally safe.