CURCUMIN

Curcumin is a naturally occurring polyphenolic pigment primarily obtained from turmeric rhizomes and widely used as a colorant, antioxidant, and functional bioactive in food, dietary supplement, cosmetic, and research applications.
Curcumin is commonly used to provide a bright yellow to orange hue, support oxidative stability, and deliver botanical positioning in formulations where plant-derived actives are desired.
Curcumin is valued for strong coloring power, antioxidant activity, broad consumer recognition, and compatibility with many delivery systems when properly solubilized and protected from degradation.

CAS Number: 458-37-7
EC Number: 207-280-5
Molecular Formula: C21H20O6
Molecular Weight: 368.38 g/mol

Synonyms: Curcumin, Diferuloylmethane, Natural Yellow 3, Turmeric Curcumin, Curcumin Extract (standardized), Curcumin 95% (common grade term), Curcumin Pigment, Curcumin Polyphenol, Curcumin Colorant, Curcumin Active, Turmeric Yellow, E100 (curcumin color), Curcumin, Curcumin I, Diferuloylmethane, Natural Yellow 3, Turmeric Yellow, Curcuma Longa Extract (Curcumin), Curcuma Longa Pigment, Curcuma Pigment, Curcuma Dye, Turmeric Pigment, Turmeric Extract (Curcumin), Turmeric Oleoresin (Curcumin), Curcumin 95%, Curcumin 98%, Curcumin 99%, Curcumin Powder, Curcumin Crystals, Curcumin Reagent, Curcumin Analytical Standard, Curcumin Reference Standard, Curcumin USP, Curcumin EP, Curcumin BP, Curcumin Food Grade, Curcumin Pharmaceutical Grade, Curcumin Cosmetic Grade, Curcumin Colorant, Curcumin Coloring Agent, CI 75300, C.I. Natural Yellow 3, E100, E 100, INS 100, INS-100, Turmeric Colour, Curcumin (E100), Curcumin (INS 100), 1,7-Bis(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-1,6-heptadiene-3,5-dione, 1,7-Bis(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-1,6-heptadiene-3,5-dione (Curcumin), (E,E)-Curcumin, (1E,6E)-Curcumin, Curcumin (CAS 458-37-7), CAS 458-37-7, Curcumin (C21H20O6), C21H20O6, Curcumin (Natural Polyphenol), Curcumin (Turmeric Polyphenol), Curcuminoid, Curcuminoids (main component), Curcumin Extract, Curcumin Concentrate, Curcumin Standard, Curcumin Marker Compound, Turmeric Curcumin, Curcumin from Turmeric, Curcumin (Turmeric Yellow Pigment), Curcumin (Differuloylmethane), Curcumin (Diferuloylmethane), Curcumin A, Curcumin Natural, Curcumin Synthetic, Curcumin 10% (formulation grade), Curcumin 20% (formulation grade), Curcumin 30% (formulation grade), Curcumin 50% (formulation grade), Curcumin 90% (formulation grade), Curcumin Coloring Matter, Yellow Curcumin, Turmeric Yellow Powder

APPLICATIONS

Curcumin is used as a natural food colorant to provide yellow to orange color in beverages, sauces, and dairy analog products.
Curcumin is incorporated into confectionery to color gummies, candies, and coated sweets with a natural positioning.
Curcumin is used in bakery and snack seasonings to provide warm yellow tones and improve visual appeal.

Curcumin is used in curry powders and spice blends to boost color uniformity and enhance perceived freshness.
Curcumin is incorporated into mustard products to intensify yellow color and improve batch-to-batch consistency.
Curcumin is used in processed foods where heat-stable yellow coloration is desired under controlled conditions.

Curcumin is used in dietary supplements as a botanical active associated with antioxidant and wellness positioning.
Curcumin is incorporated into capsules and tablets in standardized extracts for consistent potency.
Curcumin is used in gummies and functional powders where consumer-friendly formats are preferred.

Curcumin is used in beverage concentrates and shots when appropriate solubilization and stabilization systems are applied.
Curcumin is incorporated into emulsified beverages using carriers to improve dispersion and clarity control.
Curcumin is used in ready-to-mix drink powders to provide color and functional positioning.

Curcumin is used in cosmetics to support antioxidant claims and provide a natural active story in skincare.
Curcumin is incorporated into creams and serums in solubilized or encapsulated form to improve stability and reduce staining risk.
Curcumin is used in facial masks to deliver botanical positioning and color cues associated with turmeric-based products.

Curcumin is used in soaps and cleansers to provide natural color and a plant-based marketing profile.
Curcumin is incorporated into hair oils and scalp treatments where turmeric-themed concepts are desired.
Curcumin is used in bath products to add natural color and enhance sensory identity.

Curcumin is used in pharmaceutical and nutraceutical research to study inflammatory signaling pathways and oxidative stress mechanisms.
Curcumin is incorporated into cell culture studies as a tool compound for investigating molecular targets.
Curcumin is used in formulation research to explore delivery systems that improve apparent solubility and stability.

Curcumin is used in packaging and materials research as a natural dye and pH-sensitive indicator in experimental systems.
Curcumin is incorporated into smart label concepts where color shift behavior can be leveraged for demonstrations.
Curcumin is used in educational experiments to illustrate natural pigments, solubility behavior, and light sensitivity.

Curcumin is used in edible coatings and films to add color and antioxidant properties in compatible food-contact concepts.
Curcumin is incorporated into lipid-based systems to reduce oxidation and improve shelf life in selected products.
Curcumin is used in functional ingredient blends where plant polyphenols support oxidative stability strategies.

Curcumin is used in animal nutrition and feed additives in some markets for pigmentation and antioxidant support under approved uses.
Curcumin is incorporated into premixes where uniform distribution and stability are required.
Curcumin is used in specialty feed and pet products where turmeric-based positioning is desired.

Curcumin is used in product development where natural coloring and antioxidant performance are tested against synthetic alternatives.
Curcumin is incorporated into emulsions, liposomes, micelles, or encapsulates to improve handling and reduce degradation.
Curcumin is valued across industries because Curcumin provides strong natural color and antioxidant functionality with broad consumer acceptance.

Curcumin is used as a natural colorant to provide yellow to orange shades in food products.
Curcumin is applied in beverages, sauces, and confectionery to improve visual appeal.
Curcumin supports clean-label coloration when regulatory limits and specifications are met.

Curcumin is used in spice blends and seasoning systems to enhance color intensity.
Curcumin helps standardize batch-to-batch color in turmeric-based formulations.
Curcumin supports consistent appearance in processed foods.

Curcumin is used in dietary supplements as a bioactive ingredient in capsules and tablets.
Curcumin is formulated with carriers or enhancers to improve absorption in the body.
Curcumin supports supplement concepts focused on wellness and antioxidant positioning.

Curcumin is used in functional foods to add perceived health value and natural color.
Curcumin supports fortified products where turmeric-derived actives are desired.
Curcumin helps differentiate products in the natural and wellness market.

Curcumin is used in nutraceutical beverages and shots in stabilized, solubilized formats.
Curcumin supports emulsified delivery systems designed for uniform dispersion.
Curcumin helps maintain clarity or stable haze depending on product design.

Curcumin is used in cosmetics as a botanical active in skin care formulations.
Curcumin supports antioxidant-focused creams and serums aimed at improving skin appearance.
Curcumin helps protect formulas and skin from oxidative stress-related effects.

Curcumin is used in anti-aging skin care concepts to support brightening and revitalized look.
Curcumin helps improve the appearance of dullness by supporting a more even-looking complexion.
Curcumin supports soothing profiles that improve overall skin feel.

Curcumin is used in calming and redness-focused skin care products.
Curcumin supports formulations designed for sensitive-feeling skin.
Curcumin helps strengthen comfort perception when paired with barrier-support ingredients.

Curcumin is used in acne and blemish-care concepts as a botanical active.
Curcumin supports oil-control and soothing positioning in spot treatments.
Curcumin helps improve the appearance of stressed skin in gentle regimens.

Curcumin is used in scalp care products to support comfort and balanced-looking scalp.
Curcumin supports antioxidant claims in scalp serums and lotions.
Curcumin helps improve the feel of irritated or dry scalp in some formulations.

Curcumin is used in hair care products to support shine and hair protection claims.
Curcumin supports antioxidant positioning in masks and conditioners.
Curcumin helps improve overall hair feel when delivered in compatible systems.

Curcumin is used in oral care products such as mouth rinses and toothpastes in certain concepts.
Curcumin supports botanical and freshness narratives in natural oral care.
Curcumin helps provide a distinctive herbal identity in formulations.

Curcumin is used in pharmaceutical research as a model compound for anti-inflammatory studies.
Curcumin supports screening of pathways related to oxidative stress and inflammation mediators.
Curcumin helps validate assays that measure cellular response to bioactives.

Curcumin is used in drug delivery research to develop nanoparticles, liposomes, and micellar systems.
Curcumin serves as a challenging hydrophobic compound for solubility and delivery optimization.
Curcumin supports evaluation of controlled release and targeted delivery strategies.

Curcumin is used in analytical chemistry for calibration and reference in turmeric standardization.
Curcumin supports HPLC methods to quantify curcuminoids in botanical extracts.
Curcumin helps verify authenticity and potency of turmeric-derived materials.

Curcumin is used in quality control of dietary supplements to confirm labeled content.
Curcumin supports routine testing for purity, identity, and assay.
Curcumin helps detect adulteration and ensure specification compliance.

Curcumin is used in research on antioxidant capacity in foods and botanicals.
Curcumin supports comparative studies across natural extracts and phenolic compounds.
Curcumin helps evaluate oxidative stability improvements in model systems.

Curcumin is used in packaging and food preservation research to study natural antioxidant additives.
Curcumin supports evaluation of oxidative rancidity delay in lipid-rich foods.
Curcumin helps explore natural preservation strategies in clean-label development.

Curcumin is used in animal nutrition research to study performance and oxidative status markers.
Curcumin supports feed additive trials in poultry and livestock research.
Curcumin helps evaluate immune and stress response parameters in controlled studies.

Curcumin is used in aquaculture nutrition research as a functional feed additive candidate.
Curcumin supports investigations into stress resilience and health parameters in fish.
Curcumin helps study antioxidant status in aquaculture systems.

Curcumin is used in biomedical research as a fluorescent or chromophoric probe in some assays.
Curcumin supports imaging and binding studies due to its optical properties.
Curcumin helps investigate interactions with proteins and membranes in vitro.

Curcumin is used in material science research to create natural dye-based coatings.
Curcumin supports development of biodegradable or bio-based color systems.
Curcumin helps explore UV-responsive and color-changing material concepts.

Curcumin is used in polymer research to study incorporation of natural pigments into plastics.
Curcumin supports development of colored biopolymers and composites.
Curcumin helps evaluate pigment stability under heat and light.

Curcumin is used in textile dyeing research to produce natural yellow shades on fibers.
Curcumin supports experimentation with mordants and fixation methods.
Curcumin helps develop eco-friendly dyeing processes in academic and pilot studies.

Curcumin is used in cosmetic formulation research to create tinted products with botanical actives.
Curcumin supports tinted balms and creams where a warm tone is desired.
Curcumin helps provide both color and antioxidant narrative in the same formula.

Curcumin is used in soap making and artisan cosmetics to provide natural color.
Curcumin supports yellow-toned bar soaps and cleansing products.
Curcumin helps create visually distinctive natural product lines.

Curcumin is used in sunscreen research to evaluate botanical antioxidant boosters.
Curcumin supports formulations designed to reduce oxidative effects of UV exposure.
Curcumin helps improve stability and consumer-perceived benefits in sun care concepts.

Curcumin is used in inflammation-related clinical research as a dietary bioactive candidate.
Curcumin supports study designs investigating joint comfort and recovery markers.
Curcumin helps evaluate safety and tolerability in supplementation trials.

Curcumin is used in metabolic health research investigating oxidative stress and insulin sensitivity markers.
Curcumin supports studies on lipid metabolism and related biomarkers.
Curcumin helps explore mechanisms relevant to metabolic wellness positioning.

Curcumin is used in neuroscience research as a candidate compound in neuroinflammation studies.
Curcumin supports investigation of pathways associated with oxidative stress in brain models.
Curcumin helps evaluate protective effects in cellular and animal experiments.

Curcumin is used in cosmetic stability testing as an oxidation-sensitive botanical marker.
Curcumin helps challenge formulations for color stability under light exposure.
Curcumin supports packaging selection and antioxidant system optimization.

Curcumin is used in food product development to create turmeric-style beverages and dairy alternatives.
Curcumin supports stable yellow coloring in plant-based milks and yogurts.
Curcumin helps maintain consistent appearance over shelf life.

Curcumin is used in spice extract manufacturing as a standardized curcuminoid fraction.
Curcumin supports production of turmeric oleoresin and refined extracts.
Curcumin helps supply standardized active content for industrial customers.

Curcumin is used in cosmetic prototypes aimed at reducing appearance of uneven skin tone.
Curcumin supports brightening concepts when paired with niacinamide or other actives.
Curcumin helps deliver a warm, healthy-looking glow in tinted skin care.

Curcumin is used in antioxidant research to benchmark natural phenolic compounds.
Curcumin supports comparison studies with vitamin E, vitamin C, and polyphenols.
Curcumin helps interpret structure–activity relationships in antioxidant assays.

Curcumin is used in educational laboratories to demonstrate natural product extraction and chromatography.
Curcumin supports teaching experiments on solvent extraction from turmeric.
Curcumin helps illustrate UV-visible absorption and chromatographic separation.

Curcumin is used in fragrance and personal care product development to support turmeric-themed concepts.
Curcumin supports marketing narratives tied to botanical heritage and wellness.
Curcumin helps add a recognizable turmeric identity in multi-ingredient blends.

Curcumin is used in research on bioavailability enhancement techniques such as phospholipid complexes.
Curcumin supports evaluation of absorption-improving carriers and formulations.
Curcumin helps test performance of delivery technologies in vivo and in vitro.

Curcumin is used in monitoring adulteration and authenticity of turmeric products.
Curcumin supports fingerprinting methods that confirm botanical origin.
Curcumin helps ensure quality of turmeric-derived ingredients in supply chains.

DESCRIPTION

Curcumin is a naturally occurring polyphenolic compound primarily found in turmeric.
Curcumin is the main pigment responsible for the yellow-orange color of turmeric.
Curcumin is typically supplied as a yellow to orange crystalline powder.

Curcumin is poorly soluble in water and dissolves better in alcohols, oils, and certain solvents.
Curcumin is often formulated in emulsions or encapsulated systems to improve dispersion.
Curcumin stability depends strongly on pH, light exposure, and temperature.

Curcumin can degrade under alkaline conditions and prolonged light exposure.
Curcumin may fade in color over time if not protected with suitable packaging and antioxidants.
Curcumin can stain surfaces and skin due to its intense pigmentation.

Curcumin exhibits strong UV-visible absorbance and fluorescence-like behavior in certain environments.
Curcumin is widely studied for antioxidant-related activity in biochemical assays.
Curcumin is investigated for anti-inflammatory pathway modulation in many research models.

Curcumin bioavailability is generally low in its native form, leading to formulation strategies to improve absorption.
Curcumin is commonly combined with bioavailability enhancers or delivery systems in supplements.
Curcumin can interact with proteins and membranes due to its hydrophobic and aromatic structure.

Curcumin should be stored in tightly closed containers protected from light and moisture.
Curcumin may show batch-to-batch variability depending on extraction and purification processes.
Curcumin quality is typically controlled by assay, impurity profile, and curcuminoid composition.

Curcumin is widely used as both a colorant and a bioactive ingredient depending on the application.
Curcumin is valued for combining strong color impact with broad interest in wellness and antioxidant concepts.
Curcumin is one of the most extensively researched botanical compounds in modern nutraceutical science.

Curcumin is typically a bright yellow to orange crystalline powder that can stain surfaces and is often supplied as a standardized extract or purified compound.
Curcumin is poorly soluble in water and is typically formulated using oils, emulsifiers, carriers, or encapsulation systems to improve dispersion and stability.
Curcumin is sensitive to light, heat, and alkaline conditions, and Curcumin can degrade or change color if not properly protected in formulation and packaging.

Curcumin shows higher apparent solubility and stability in certain solvents and in lipid-based delivery systems compared to pure water systems.
Curcumin color intensity depends on particle size, purity, concentration, and the presence of carriers or dispersing agents.
Curcumin can interact with proteins and polysaccharides, which can influence color shade, stability, and turbidity in complex formulations.

Curcumin is commonly used as a food additive color known as E100, and Curcumin usage levels are controlled by local regulations and product category.
Curcumin should be stored in tightly closed containers protected from light and moisture to maintain color strength and potency.
Curcumin is generally handled with dust control and protective measures because Curcumin can stain and may irritate sensitive individuals.

PROPERTIES

Chemical Formula: C21H20O6
Molecular Weight: 368.38 g/mol
Common Name: Curcumin
Chemical Type: Polyphenolic diarylheptanoid (natural pigment)
Appearance: Bright yellow to orange powder
Odor: Mild characteristic odor (extract dependent)
Solubility: Very low in water; soluble in ethanol, acetone, and oils to varying degrees (system dependent)
Melting Point: ~183°C (typical; decomposes)
Color Index: Natural Yellow 3 (common designation)
Stability: Sensitive to light and alkaline pH; improved stability in acidic to near-neutral systems and protected packaging
Flash Point: Not applicable for solid; solvent systems vary
Storage Temperature: 15–25°C, dry, protected from light
Shelf Life: Typically 24–36 months in original sealed packaging (supplier dependent)

FIRST AID

Inhalation:
Move to fresh air if dust is inhaled.
Seek medical attention if coughing or respiratory irritation persists.
Avoid breathing dust during handling and weighing.

Skin Contact:
Wash with soap and water after contact.
Remove contaminated clothing and wash before reuse.
Seek medical advice if irritation develops or persists.

Eye Contact:
Rinse cautiously with water for several minutes.
Remove contact lenses if present and easy to do, then continue rinsing.
Seek medical attention if irritation persists.

Ingestion:
Rinse mouth with water.
Do not induce vomiting unless directed by medical personnel.
Seek medical attention if a large amount is swallowed or discomfort occurs.

Note to Physicians:
Treat symptomatically.
No specific antidote is required.
Provide supportive care based on exposure route and symptoms.

HANDLING AND STORAGE

Handling:
Use appropriate PPE including gloves and safety glasses.
Avoid generating dust and avoid contact with light-colored surfaces because staining can occur.
Wash hands after handling and before eating, drinking, or smoking.

Ventilation:
Use local exhaust or general ventilation where dust may be generated.
Maintain good airflow during charging and mixing operations.
Minimize airborne particulate accumulation in enclosed areas.

Storage:
Store in a cool, dry place in tightly closed containers.
Protect from light, heat, and moisture to preserve color strength and stability.
Keep containers properly labeled and secured to prevent contamination.

Spill and Leak Procedures:
Avoid dust generation and collect spilled powder using methods that minimize airborne particles.
Place collected material into suitable containers for disposal according to local regulations.
Clean the area using wet wiping methods to reduce dust and to prevent staining spread.

Handling Precautions:
Use clean, dedicated equipment in food, cosmetic, or supplement production to prevent cross-contamination.
Optimize formulation pH and packaging to reduce Curcumin degradation and color shift during storage.
Rotate stock using FIFO practices to maintain consistent quality and performance.