E120 / Colours
Cochineal, carminic acid, carmine
Safety in brief
Safe
Recorded EatMatrix rating, not a new clinical review. The amount, your sensitivities and country rules still matter.
- Watch for
- Recorded allergens: carmine/cochineal (insect-derived). Recorded sensitivities: carmine allergy.
- Our advice
- Read the whole food label and consider how often you eat the product. A name or E number does not tell you the amount, and an ingredient rating cannot assess the entire food.
What it is
Cochineal, carminic acid, and carmine are natural red colourants extracted from the dried bodies of the cochineal insect (Dactylopius coccus). Carminic acid is the pigment responsible for the colour, and carmine is its purified, more stable form used in confectionery, beverages, and cosmetics. These colourants are generally recognized as safe by EFSA and the FDA, but because they are insect-derived, they are unsuitable for vegans and vegetarians, and rare but serious allergic reactions (including anaphylaxis) have been documented.
Also appears on labels as: Cochineal, Carminic acid, Carmine, Natural red 4, CI 75470, E120, E 120, E-120, E120(i), E120(ii), Cochineal extract, Cochineal dye.
Dietary information
- Vegan
- No
- Halal
- No
- Gluten-free
- Yes
- Allergens
- carmine/cochineal (insect-derived)
Recorded ingredient information. Check the product label or certification: sources, other ingredients and cross-contact can vary.
Research & body effects
Selected research on E120
How to read study types- Regulator reviewEFSA re-evaluation of cochineal and carmines
Kept the safe daily limit, 2.5 mg carminic acid per kg of body weight; intake is below it. It can trigger allergies, so EFSA advised removing protein residues during production.
Summaries of each source's published abstract or statement, checked . This is a selection of sources, not a complete literature review. Authority assessments apply to the uses and places they cover.
Health notes from our ingredient record
- Rare but documented allergic reactions, including severe reactions in sensitive individuals.
- Generally recognized as safe at typical food levels for the general population.
Other references from our ingredient record
These links come from the original ingredient record. They are separate from the source reviews above and have not all been checked for the exact ingredient, amount consumed or claim. Dates are shown newest first.
- Scientific Opinion on the re‐evaluation of cochineal, carminic acid, carmines (E 120) as a food additive — EFSA Panel on Food Additives, EFSA Journal (2015). Official EFSA scientific opinion (bibliographic reference, imported 2026-10-13). It covers the additive as a group assessment and is not an individual human study; read the opinion for its findings.
Country rules
Country checks for E120
Permission depends on the market, type of food, amount and conditions. A scientific opinion or an E-number alone does not establish a legal use. These checks are separate from the stored EatMatrix rating.
Compare all eight markets and their sources
| Market | What is checked |
|---|---|
| European Union | Regulation (EC) 1333/2008, Annex II Part B, version , contains the exact code E120: Carminic acid, Carmine. Listing alone does not allow every food use. Part E food categories, limits, specifications and applicable later acts still need a product-specific check. Source read: . |
| Great Britain | The FSA register record for E120 (Carminic acid, Carmine) lists “Authorised” in England, Scotland and Wales. Register updated: 01 April 2025; record checked: . Food-specific conditions and specifications still need a separate legal check. |
| United States | Complete current-use review pending. Any scoped provision in the label guide above applies only to the stated use. FDA explains the applicable food-additive and GRAS framework. |
| Northern Ireland | Review pending. Check the applicable EU rules and territory arrangements; the GB register alone does not establish this status. FSA guidance is a starting source, not a verified permission for this entry. |
| Canada | Named preparation located; broader identity needs matching The located name is cochineal. Match the extract and specifications; this is not blanket permission for every isolated carminic acid or carmine preparation. EatMatrix reading: Match the named preparation, specifications, food, purpose and every limit below before using these rows for a product decision. Name and category review: . This describes the legal source check, not a finding that the ingredient is safe, unsafe or untested. Sources and names checkedNames checked: Cochineal, carminic acid, carmine; Cochineal. All 15 Health Canada permitted-additive lists were checked by exact name, with the reviewed alternatives above. E-numbers alone are not Canadian ingredient names. The Justice Canada consolidation read was current to 21 September 2026. A complete product decision also requires its composition, specifications, intended food and use, quantities, applicable separate provisions and any later changes. Named food-use records located. Health Canada lists the preparations below for specified foods and purposes. This is conditional permission for those uses, not approval of every product or a personal safety verdict. The located name is cochineal. Match the extract and specifications; this is not blanket permission for every isolated carminic acid or carmine preparation. Source tables captured . List publication dates are shown separately. Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) is a condition of use, not an unlimited amount or a recommended intake. Food and Drug Regulations B.16.003 requires the listed source, purpose, amount and other conditions to match. The official consolidation read was current to 21 September 2026; product specifications and applicable later changes still need checking. Read 5 listed food-use conditionsCochinealHealth Canada: List of Permitted Food Colours. List published ; item C.9.
EatMatrix reading: match the exact preparation and food first. A manufacturing limit is not an acceptable daily intake (ADI). A label without the amount cannot establish exposure, and an unlisted name here does not establish a ban. |
| Australia | Review pending. Food Standards Code permissions and conditions need an additive-specific check. FSANZ food-additive rules is a starting source, not a verified permission for this entry. |
| New Zealand | Review pending. Food Standards Code permissions and conditions need an additive-specific check. FSANZ food-additive rules is a starting source, not a verified permission for this entry. |
| Japan | Review pending. The relevant list, identity and use standards need an additive-specific check. CAA food-additive lists is a starting source, not a verified permission for this entry. |
Sources & review status
Check what each source covers: an authority’s conclusion, a research finding and a country’s legal permission answer different questions.
What this guide covers
- Selected research
- 1 source summaries, with publication dates and study types. Several publications may describe the same study population.
- Official assessment sources
- Commission-listed EFSA references for E120. Bibliographic identity checked; latest findings and current use rules need separate review.
- Original ingredient record
- 1 research link; newest recorded date: . Sources added separately to this guide are not included in this count.
This guide brings together our ingredient record and the dated sources shown here. Missing information describes a gap in this guide; it does not mean an ingredient is untested, safe or harmful. This is not a complete review of every study, preparation or current country rule. The amount in a product and how it is used still matter.
How to read the ratings, research and country checksAgency labels recorded by EatMatrix
These are imported database classifications, not verified current statements from each authority. Use the dated official sources below for their actual scope and conclusions.
| Authority | Database label |
|---|---|
| FDA | Safe |
| WHO | Safe |
| EFSA | Safe |
| FSANZ | Safe |
| Japan | Safe |
| UK FSA | Safe |
| Health Canada | Safe |
Official assessment sources for E120
The European Commission’s re-evaluation table lists official EFSA documents for this additive. Their identifiers and subjects were checked against publisher bibliographic records. A missing research link in the EatMatrix database does not mean the additive has never been assessed.
Name in the Commission table: Cochineal, Carminic acid, Carmines.
- Scientific Opinion on the re‐evaluation of cochineal, carminic acid, carmines (E 120) as a food additive
EFSA scientific opinion. Published: .
These are assessment references, including historical or group assessments. They do not establish the latest scientific conclusion, a human health benefit or risk, or current permission to use the additive in a particular food. Later assessments, corrections and food-use conditions need separate review. The recorded EatMatrix rating above is unchanged.
European Commission re-evaluation table, status as of . EatMatrix checked this bibliography on .
Database updated: . What does an E number mean on a food label?
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
What is EatMatrix's recorded rating for E120?
The recorded EatMatrix rating for E120 (Cochineal, carminic acid, carmine) is “Safe”. It is calculated from labels stored in our ingredient database. These labels are not verified current regulator decisions or country permissions. A database update date is not a scientific review date.
Is E120 vegan, halal or gluten-free?
According to our ingredient data for Cochineal, carminic acid, carmine — vegan: no, vegetarian: no, halal: no, kosher: no, gluten-free: yes, dairy-free: yes. Manufacturing sources can vary between products; check the label if it matters to you.
What is E120 and why is it used?
Cochineal, carminic acid, and carmine are natural red colourants extracted from the dried bodies of the cochineal insect (Dactylopius coccus). Carminic acid is the pigment responsible for the colour, and carmine is its purified, more stable form used in confectionery, beverages, and cosmetics. These colourants are generally recognized as safe by EFSA and the FDA, but because they are insect-derived, they are unsuitable for vegans and vegetarians, and rare but serious allergic reactions (including anaphylaxis) have been documented.
Does E120 contain allergens?
Yes — known allergens associated with Cochineal, carminic acid, carmine: carmine/cochineal (insect-derived).
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This page shows information and classifications recorded in our ingredient database. Current scientific and market-specific verification remains pending as described above. It is general information, not medical advice.