CARMINE

EC / List no.: 215-680-6
CAS no.: 1343-78-8
Mol. formula: C22H20O13

Carmine (/ˈkɑːrmɪn/ or /ˈkɑːrmaɪn/), also called cochineal (for the insect from which it is extracted), cochineal extract, crimson lake or carmine lake, natural red 4, C.I. 75470, or E120, is a pigment of a bright-red color obtained from the aluminium complex derived from carminic acid.
Carmine is also a general term for a particularly deep-red color.

Etymology
The English word "carmine" is derived from the French word carmin (12th century), from Medieval Latin carminium, from Persian قرمز qirmiz ("crimson"), which itself derives from Middle Persian carmir ("red, crimson").
The Persian term carmir is likely cognate with Sanskrit krimiga ("insect-produced"), from krmi ("worm, insect"). 
The Persian word for "worm, insect" is kirm, and in Iran (Persia) the red colorant carmine was extracted from the bodies of dead female insects such as Kermes vermilio and cochineal.
The form of the term may also have been influenced in Latin by minium ("red lead, cinnabar"), said to be of Iberian origin. 
The word "carmine" has been used as a color name as early as 1799.
Carmine is a popular food color, used in yogurt, candy and certain brands of juice, the most notable ones being those of the ruby-red variety.

Production
The pigment is produced from carminic acid, which is extracted from some scale insects such as the cochineal scale (Dactylopius coccus), and certain Porphyrophora species (Armenian cochineal and Polish cochineal). 
Carmine is a colorant used in the manufacture of artificial flowers, paints, crimson ink, rouge and other cosmetics, and some medications.

To prepare carmine, the powdered scale insect bodies are boiled in an ammonia or sodium carbonate solution. 
After separating the insoluble matter, the extract is treated with alum to precipitate the red solid. 
This precipitate is called "carmine lake" or "crimson lake". 
Purity of color is ensured by the absence of iron. 
Stannous chloride, citric acid, borax, or gelatin may be added to modify the precipitation. 
The traditional crimson color is affected not only by carminic acid but also by choice of its chelating metal salt ion. 
For shades of purple, lime is added to the alum.

Properties and uses
As confirmed by reflectance spectroscopy, carmine reflects mostly red light, i.e., wavelengths longer than about 603 nm.

Carmine can be used in histology, as Best's carmine to stain glycogen, mucicarmine to stain acidic mucopolysaccharides, and carmalum to stain cell nuclei. In these applications, it is applied together with a mordant, usually an Al(III) salt.

Carmine was used in dyeing textiles and in painting since antiquity.
Carmine is not very stable in oil paint, and its use ceased after new and better red pigments became available. 
Jacopo Tintoretto used carmine in several of his paintings, including Portrait of Vincenzo Morosini and Christ Washing the Feet of the Disciples.

Regulations for use in foods
United States
In January 2006, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) evaluated a proposal that would require food products containing carmine to list it by name on the ingredient label.
Carmine was also announced that the FDA will separately review the ingredient labels of prescription drugs that contain colorings derived from carmine. 
A request from the Center for Science in the Public Interest urging the FDA to require ingredient labels to explicitly state that carmine is derived from insects and may cause severe allergic reactions and anaphylactic shock was declined by the FDA.
Food industries were aggressively opposed to the idea of writing "insect-based" on the label, and the FDA agreed to allow "cochineal extract" or "carmine".

European Union
In the European Union, the use of carmine in foods is regulated under the European Commission's directives governing food additives in general and food dyes in particular and listed under the names Cochineal, Carminic acid, Carmine and Natural Red 4 as additive E 120 in the list of EU-approved food additives.
The directive governing food dyes approves the use of carmine for certain groups of foods only[20] and specifies a maximum amount which is permitted or restricts it to the quantum satis.

The EU-Directive 2000/13/EC on food labeling mandates that carmines (like all food additives) must be included in the list of ingredients of a food product with its additive category and listed name or additive number, that is either as Food colour carmines or as Food colour E 120 in the local language(s) of the market(s) the product is sold in.

As of January 2012, EFSA has changed the way they allow use of Carmine E120 for pharmaceutical products. 
The EFSA had raised concerns over the increasing number of allergic reactions to carmine derived from insects (E120.360), when used within the British Pharmacopoeia. 
Pharmaceutical products which had previously contained insect-derived carmine, have been replaced with a synthesized version of the food colorant. 
Internal studies have shown that the new formulations of popular anti-nausea and weight-gain liquid medication had a significantly lower risk in terms of allergic reactions.
The new formulation is known to be of plant origin, using calcium oxide in order to gauge color depth.

The name carmine is used for two similar pigments derived from different insects. 
Cochineal is produced from (Dactylopius coccus) a scale insect living as a parasite on the cacti mainly in South America. 
The main colorant of this pigment is carminic acid.
The second pigment is derived from another scale insect called kermes which lives as a parasite on the tree Scarlet oak. 
The main coloring agent, in this case, is kermesic acid.
The pigment is not very stable unless it is stored in a dry place and is not lightfast and fades even under incandescent illumination. 
Carminecannot be used in acidic and alkaline conditions.

Preparation 
The preparation of carmine always consists of two steps. 
The dried insects are first boiled in water in order to extract the carminic or kermesic acid. 
The second step is the precipitation of the pigment by adding alum to the clear filtered solution. 
Aluminum ions contained in alum form a complex salt of the intense crimson-red colour.

Carmine is red or purplish-red pigment obtained from cochineal (q.v.), a red dyestuff extracted from the dried bodies of certain female scale insects native to tropical and subtropical America. 
Carmine was used extensively for watercolors and fine coach-body colors before the advent of synthetic coloring materials. 
Since then it has been used only when a natural pigment is required: for pastries, confections, cosmetics, water-soluble drug preparations, and histologic stains.

To prepare carmine, the powdered insect bodies are boiled in ammonia or sodium carbonate solution, the insoluble matter is removed by filtering, and alum is added to the clear salt solution of carminic acid to precipitate the red aluminum salt. 
The purity of color is ensured by the absence of iron. Stannous chloride, citric acid, borax, or gelatin may be added to regulate the formation of the precipitate. 
For purple shades, lime is added to the alum. Chemically, carminic acid is a complex anthraquinone derivative.

Carmine is a bright red dye commonly used to color food and cosmetics. 
When purchasing any sort of red or pink makeup, vegans should check the ingredients for carmine.

Is Carmine Vegan?
Carmine is made by boiling and grinding up cochineal beetles, and is therefore not vegan.

Some people argue that insects are not sentient. 
But all insects have brains and relatively complex nervous systems, so they therefore possess at least some ability to suffer.

Cochineal beetles are native to desert environments and were historically gathered from prickly pear cactus. 
Carmine Carminewas among the first pigments used to dye clothing, and archaeologists have recovered these garments from neolithic sites. 
Fortunately, few textiles use carmine anymore, since modern dyes are cheaper and much more colorfast.

About 20 percent of a cochineal beetle’s body weight is carminic acid, the pigment that gives carmine its deep red hue.
Since cochineal beetles are just a half-centimeter long, a large number must be killed to create a small amount of dye.

What Products Contain Carmine?
Carmine may appear in these products:
 Blush
 Candy
 Eye Shadow
 Food
 Ink
 Packaged juices
 Lipstick
 Paint
 Red clothing
 Food Coloring
As long as the beauty items you purchase are vegan, they will never contain carmine. 
Our makeup guide lists the top vegan brands from every category.

Carmine Derivatives and Alternate Names
Carmine derivatives include cochineal extract, crimson lake, natural red 4 and E120. 
All of these commonly appear on food and cosmetics labels. 
Contrary to what some websites say, Red #40 (a coloring agent found in candies like Red Vines) does not contain carmine—it’s actually produced from coal.

The most wholesome source of red coloring are extracts from vegan foods like strawberries, radishes, and beets.

Coloring matter from the insect Coccus cacti L. 
Carmine is used in foods, pharmaceuticals, toiletries, etc., as a dye, and also has use as a microscopic stain and biological marker.

Chemical Properties    
Carmine is a red coloring material from the dried bodies of the female insect Coccus cacti and harvested from cultivated cacti. 
The raw material is obtained primarily from the Canary Islands and parts of South America. 
Boiling Carmine with mineral acid produces carmine red (ClH12O7). 
Precipitating a mixture of Carmine and alum produces a bright red pigment. 
Carmine is used as a color additive in food, drugs and cosmetics.
Carmine is also used as a microscopic stain and biological marker.

Uses    
Carmine is a red colorant extracted from the dried bodies of the female insect coccus cacti. 
The coloring is carminic acid in which the water-soluble extract is . 
Carmine precipitates at ph 3, has good stability at ph 4, and excellent stability at ph 5–8.
Carmine has low tinctorial strength and has excellent stability to heat and light. 
Carmine is also stable in retorted protein systems where other food dyes are unstable. 
Carmine is used in foods requiring red coloring.

Definition    
A red coloring matter consisting of the dried bodies of the female insects Coccus cacti. 
The coloring principle is carminic acid.

Carmine is considered to be one of the most stable natural pigments regarding heat and light exposure. 
Especially under neutral pH conditions, there are almost no alternatives exerting similar properties in shade and stability. 
The neutral pH of ice cream impedes the use of most anthocyanins. 
The only natural red pigments suitable for ice cream are beetroot and lycopene, with the latter being limited to 40 ppm in the European Union.

Carmine is a natural dye which is made from the dried bodies of a female insect called the Cochineal (Coccus Cacti). 

Carmine is a natural organic dyestuff made from the dried bodies of the female cochineal insect, crocus cacti, which lives on various cactus plants in Mexico and in Central and South America. 
Carmine must be precipitated on clay, since it has no body of its own. 
Carmine was brought to Europe shortly after the discovery of those countries, first described by Mathioli in 1549. 
The finest quality, known as nacarat carmine, is non poisonous and quite beautiful with the peculiarity of being more permanent in transmitted light as a transparent color, than when under direct light. 
According to Maximillian Toch, it is only legitimate as a food coloring, as exposure to the sunlight for three months, bleaches the pigment completely.

Since carmine is very transparent, it is an excellent pigment for glazing.

Carmine in Food and Makeup
Carmine is widely used in food products and cosmetics as a ‘natural’ dye and can be found in just about anything. 

Darker and more staining than Alizarin Crimson, and vastly superior in permanence, Carmine is also redder. 
This staining pigment, rich and intense, will retain its luminosity in dark passages, but will dilute to produce subtle tones without reducing its permanence. 
Darkest of the reds, Carmine will help you achieve clear neutrals when mixed with its complement, Phthalo Green.

Physical Description
Carmine is obtained from the dried bodies of the gravid female insect Coccus cacti; it has been used as a food and textile dye since ancient times. 
Carmine is a dark red color additive obtained via aqueous extraction of Carmine. 
Carmine consists of an aluminum or calcium-aluminum lake on an aluminum hydroxide substrate of carminic acid, the coloring principle of Carmine. 
Carmine and Carmine both contain the red pigment, Carminic acid that presents excellent stability against heat and light. 
Carminic acid is a hydroxyanthraquinone linked to a glucose unit and it comprises approximately 10% of Carmine and 2-4% of its extract.
Commercial preparations of carmine contain 20-50% carminic acid. 
Carmine is an aqueous extract providing color shades from orange to red and is generally used in low pH applications. 
Carmine is insoluble in water, glycerine, and propylene glycol. 
Carmine is stable in light and to oxidation but not at varying pH or microbiological attack. Carminic acid is susceptible to oxidation. 
Carminic acid is a stable pigment that is soluble in water. 
Carmine is soluble in alcohol. 
Carmine is a water-dispersible powder which is insoluble in alcohol and oil. 
Carmine is readily attached to proteins thus it has been successfully used to color milk-based products.

Common Uses
Carmine and cochineal can be used for coloring meat products, seafood, confectionery, alcoholic beverages and soft drinks, cider, vinegar, yogurt, baked goods, jams, jellies, dairy products, snack food, convenient food, fruit preparation, seasonings, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics.

Carmine is a natural colorant derived from the cochineal insect Dactylopius Coccus Costa which grows on cacti in Central and South America. 
Nowadays a large part of the cochineal comes from Peru where it grows in nature as well as on plantations due to the ideal climate of the country. 

Out of cochineal with water extraction a solution of Carminic acid is obtained. 
With further purification a stable water soluble Carminic acid is obtained. 
When Carminic acid reacts with calcium and aluminum a Carmine lakes are obtained.

Cochineal extract and carmine are natural anthraquinone red colors. 
Depending on the extraction method, water or alcohol different shades of the carmine pigment can be obtained, ranging from bright “strawberry” magenta red in low PH to “blackcurrant” purple in high PH. 
Carmine has excellent heat and light stability and is used as food coloring in; processed fish and meat, confectionary, dairy, bakery, snacks, juice drinks and healthcare & cosmetics. 
Also take a look at our Carmine based color blends.

The carmine is obtained by precipitation of carminic acid with calcium and aluminum

Soluble in alkali solutions
Color shade: Pink to Violet
Temperature stability: Excellent
Light stability: Excellent
Main applications: Carmine can be used in a wide variety of food applications

Carmine is a brilliant red dye made from crushed scale insects, typically cochineal or Polish cochineal insects. 
This dye is used in a wide variety of products, from cheese to paints, and people are often unaware of its use, due to the fact that labeling laws do not usually require its disclosure. 
Carmine has attracted a great deal of attention in some communities such as the vegetarian community due to its use as a food additive.

In many regions of the world, producers can simply use the euphemism “color added” to disclose the presence of carmine, but most consumers are not savvy enough to know what that phrase means. 
The dye is also listed as crimson lake or natural red number four, and in the European Union, it is identified as E120. 
On occasion, it will be explicitly listed as “carmine” on a label, or as “cochineal dye.”

thousands of cochineal insects and then crush them. 
Depending on the conditions in which the insects are crushed, the color of the dye can vary considerably, and this is an important consideration for companies that want to make consistent dyes.
The crushing causes the insects to release carminic acid, a substance which they generate to repel predators, and this can be treated to yield carmine.

Pure carmine is red and very crumbly. 
The dye is often adulterated with other materials to make it easier to handle and ship, and sometimes it can be difficult to control its quality and safety as a result. 
Once prepared, it is sold to a wide variety of industries for use in things like textile dyes, paints, inks, foods, cosmetics, and artificial flowers.

As a food additive, carmine is a source of concern to some people. 
For vegetarians and people who follow religions with dietary restrictions, the fact that this dye is often not labeled is very frustrating, as it can make it hard to avoid. 
Some people also have adverse reactions to carmine, which has led to a push among food safety activists to clearly label it so that people who wish to avoid it may do so.

What Is Carmine?
Carmine is a bright red pigment made from cochineal. 
In cosmetics and personal care products, Carmine is used in the formulation of a wide variety of product types, including make up and nail polish.

Why is Carmine used in cosmetics and personal care products?
Carmine imparts a red color to cosmetics and personal care products.

What is Carmine?
Carmine also know as cochineal, crimson lake, natural red 5 or CI 75470 is a bright red pigment that is used in many cosmetics and even as a colourant in food.

Why is Carmine used?
Carmine is used in so many colour cosmetics because it is incredibly safe, non-irritating, easy to produce and has been used as a dye for over 600 years. 
One of the outstanding properties of Carmine is it is intense colour that is unmatched by many other pigments available.

How is Carmine made?
Carmine is not vegan friendly. 
Carmine may be quite a surprise to some people to discover that Carmine is from animal origin. 
Carmine is produced from the scale insect Cochineal, a tiny beetle like creature that live on cacti. 
They are grown in farms and once they reach 90 days old they are brushed from the cacti and collected up. 
They are then dried, crushed, boiled then filtered (with a few more steps in-between), producing a vivid red pigment.

Why is Carmine still used by make-up manufacturers?
A large amount of make-up manufacturers have now switched to synthetic pigments or naturally sourced pigments such as Iron Oxide. 
However, a few manufactures still use Carmine in their products; they typically still use Carmine in make-up products that have been made for a long time, where these manufactures choose not to alter their formula to avoid possible loss in performance and ensure continuity of their colour cosmetics.
Another reason may be is that Carmine is an incredibly effective pigment; its colour is deep, vivid and has a high opacity. 
However, many pigments are available now that are compatible or surpass the performance of Carmine that are not animal derived.

What is Carmine typically used for?
Carmine is a common dye found in many foods, beverages, clothing and cosmetics. 
Anything from strawberry yoghurt and red lollipops to lipstick and blush. 
Basically, the red colour of any product could be sourced from Carmine. 

In the cosmetics industry, Carmine is typically used to add a vibrant red, pink or orange pigment to lipstick, blush, eye shadow and nail polish. 
Carmine is the third most common colourant that is used in both natural and traditional (petroleum-based) makeup lines. 
Just because something says it's natural does not mean it doesn't have carmine - we,re aware of plenty of natural and supposedly cruelty-free products with carmine. 

IUPAC NAMES: 
3,5,6,8-tetrahydroxy-1-methyl-9,10-dioxo-7-[3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]-9,10-dihydroanthracene-2-carboxylic acid
3,5,6,8-tetrahydroxy-1-methyl-9,10-dioxo-7-[3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]anthracene-2-carboxylic acid
carminic acid
Carmine (dye)

SYNONYMS: 
Carmine
Cochineal
1343-78-8
3,5,6,8-tetrahydroxy-1-methyl-9,10-dioxo-7-[3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]anthracene-2-carboxylic acid
C.I. Natural red 4
1390-65-4
C.I. 75470
San-Ei Gen San Red 1
E 120
C ochineal
NSC326224
2-Anthracenecarboxylic acid, 7-.beta.-D-glucopyranosyl-9,10-dihydro-3,5,6,8-tetrahydroxy-1-methyl-9,10-dioxo-
E120
C. I. 75470
FEMA 2330
HMS3346I22
ANW-43914
MCULE-5237136036
NSC-326224
AK105050
FT-0623494
FT-0623495
FT-0624015
J-005319
2-Anthracenecarboxylic acid,10-dihydro-3,5,6,8-tetrahydroxy-1-methyl-9,10-dioxo-
7-Glucopyranosyl-3,4,5,8-tetrahydroxy-1-methylanthraquinone-2-carboxylic acid
1-Anthroic acid,10-dihydro-2,5,7,8-tetrahydroxy-4-methyl-9,10-dioxo-6-(2,3,4,5-tetrahydroxyhexanoyl)-
2-Anthracenecarboxylic acid, 7-ss-D-glucopyranosyl-9,10-dihydro-3,5,6,8-tetrahydroxy-1-methyl-9,10-dioxo-
cochenilledye
cochineal(dye)
7-beta-D-Glucopyranosyl-3,5,6,8-tetrahydroxy-1-methyl-9,10-dioxoanthracene-2-carboxylic acid
3,5,6,8-tetrahydroxy-1-methyl-9,10-dioxo-7-[3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]anthracene-2-carboxylic acid
3,5,6,8-tetrahydroxy-9,10-diketo-1-methyl-7-(3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-methylol-tetrahydropyran-2-yl)anthracene-2-carboxylic acid
Cochineal acid
NATURAL RED 4
FD AND C CARMINE
E120
CALCIUM ALUMINIUM LACQUER WITH CARMINIC ACID
CARMINATE BORAX
CARMINE 2G
CARMINE 40
CARMINE ALUMINUM LAKE
CARMINE BEST'S
CARMINE NACARAT
CARMINE PICRO
CARMINE REAGENT
CARMINIC ACID
CARMINE RED
CARMINE, WATER SOLUBLE
COCHINEAL
CI NO 75470
CI 75470
ALUMINUM LAKE OF CARMINIC ACID
COCHINEALEXTRACT
COCHINEAL,CARMINEANDCARMINICACID