Carminic acid is the colorant known by the E number E120. The substance is frequently used in various food products to provide them with a red color. This coloring is not suitable for people who have a dietary restriction in which they do not eat meat, as carminic acid is obtained from lice. The health risks associated with this substance are very small.
What is Carminic Acid?
Carminic acid is a red dye also known by the names cochineal, carmine, crimson, carminic acid and sunred crimson lake. Note the distinction here: carmine or cochineal stands for the pigment and carminic acid is the coloring agent. This dye is often indicated with the E number E120. The ADI is 5 mg / kilogram in body weight. The red coloring agent is used for coloring the food red, as well as in oil paint, watercolor and cosmetics including lipstick. When used in cosmetic products, the substance is known as CI75470.
The use of the dye in paint has declined considerably in recent years as carminic acid does not have a strong color. The substance has been replaced by cracker slab extracted from coal tar. There is also a substance called ‘Polish carmine’. This is a textile dye that is extracted from a type of louse known as Margarodes polonicus. It has nothing to do with the addition of E120. The use of carminic acid is very popular because this dye is water soluble and it does not deteriorate in color at high temperatures. Thus, it is considered a stable dye.
How is carminic acid extracted?
Carminic acid is organically extracted from the cochineal louse (females only). This type of lice originates in countries such as Mexico, Guatemala, Peru and Honduras where it lives on the cacti of the Optunia species. Because it takes quite a few lice to make the dye, they are specially bred for it. An average of 1 kilo of lice (about 140,000 lice) is used during the making of the dye. The lice are scraped off the cactus and then killed by immersing them in water. They are then dried and crushed. The moisture from the lice that is released during crushing is mixed with tin, aqua regia or alum. Together with these substances, the colorant is soluble in water without losing its color and can be used in the coloring of food.
The History of Carmine
The use of carminic acid in food goes all the way back to the Aztec days where the substance was used not only as a coloring agent but also as a means of payment to the emperor to pay off the tax debt. Carminic acid was first used in Europe as a coloring agent in 1549 after it was brought by the Spanish. Since then it has been a popular food coloring agent.
The properties of carminic acid
Carminic acid is a popular coloring agent because it is easy to use in food. The color does not stand out and it is also water soluble. The main reason for using carminic acid to color food red is because it does not diminish in color when high or low temperatures are used.
In which products is the addition E120 used?
The addition E120 is used in many well-known products. Think about:
- Pink cakes
- Activia strawberry from Danone
- Boer’n yoghurt from De Zuivelhoeve
- Eating paper from Look-O-Look
- Red Orange from Mentos
Is E120 carminic acid suitable for everyone?
E120 is not recommended for everyone. This is especially true for children, where the substance can cause hyperactivity and insomnia. Irritations can also occur as soon as there is a hypersensitivity to the substance. This may include eczema and other skin irritations. In addition, it is also not suitable for people who have to deal with dietary restrictions for religious reasons, for example, since the substance is extracted from lice: animal.