Bixa orellana L. · Family: Bixaceae · Seed Coat Extract
Annatto gives you a warm orange-yellow in two forms that are not interchangeable: oil-soluble bixin and water-soluble norbixin. Since the EU re-evaluation they carry separate specifications — E160b(i) and E160b(ii) — and ordering the wrong one is the commonest mistake on this ingredient.
One plant, two colours, two specifications
Annatto is extracted from the seed coat of Bixa orellana — the waxy red aril that surrounds the seed rather than the seed itself. It has been used as a food colour for centuries and remains one of the few natural colourants that gives a genuinely warm orange-yellow with good stability in fats.
The pigment exists commercially in two forms, and this is the whole practical story of the ingredient. Bixin is the native apocarotenoid, oil-soluble, and is what colours cheddar, butter, margarine and snack coatings. Norbixin is bixin with an ester group hydrolysed off — usually by alkali treatment — which makes it water-soluble and suits beverages, dairy drinks and aqueous systems.
They are chemically related and functionally not substitutes. Bixin will not disperse in an aqueous system; norbixin will not carry properly into a fat phase. Ordering "annatto" without stating which is the single most common error on this ingredient, and it is usually discovered in the pilot batch rather than at specification.
The regulatory position now mirrors that split. Following the EU re-evaluation of annatto, E160b was divided into E160b(i) bixin and E160b(ii) norbixin, each with its own specification and its own acceptable daily intake. That matters directly: the two are not the same entry on your label or in your usage-level calculation, and a supplier who quotes simply "E160b" has not told you which specification the material meets.
The third thing to plan for is light. Annatto is genuinely light-sensitive, which is why every grade ships in light-protected packaging and stores below 20°C. It is not a shelf-life formality.
What is in the extract
The native apocarotenoid of the seed coat — oil-soluble, giving a warm orange in fat systems. Standardised at 2–10% by grade. EU: E160b(i).
The dicarboxylic form produced by hydrolysing bixin's ester group, usually with alkali — water-soluble, for aqueous systems. EU: E160b(ii).
The working number in formulation, declared per batch. Percentage content alone does not tell you how much you need to dose.
Vegetable oil, propylene glycol or a carrier appropriate to the grade — named with its inclusion level.
Bixin and norbixin do not substitute. Bixin will not disperse in water; norbixin will not carry into a fat phase.
Genuinely light-sensitive. Light-protected packaging and storage below 20°C are handling requirements, not formalities.
Why buyers specify annatto by form, not by name
The EU re-evaluation split bixin and norbixin into separate specifications with separate ADIs. We state which.
The number you dose against. Percentage content alone will not tell you how much to use.
Bixin for dairy fats, margarine and snack coatings; norbixin for beverages, dairy drinks and aqueous systems.
Named on every certificate and tested per batch, so you can confirm it is permitted for your market.
Annatto is genuinely light-sensitive. Packing and storage below 20°C are specified, not assumed.
USDA NOP certified material for organic food applications, on the same declaration basis.
These are functional and physico-chemical properties of the actives; SV Botanica does not make medical or therapeutic claims for this ingredient.
Solubility, standardisation and form
| Grade | Standardisation | Form | Best For | Solubility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil-Soluble (Bixin) E160b(i) | Bixin 2–5%; colour strength declared | Deep orange viscous liquid | Cheddar, butter, margarine, snack coatings | Liquid |
| High Bixin Grade E160b(i) | Bixin 5–10%; concentrated | Deep reddish-orange liquid | Premium food colour, concentrated dosing | Liquid |
| Water-Soluble (Norbixin) E160b(ii) | Norbixin standardised; colour strength declared | Orange to red-orange liquid | Beverages, dairy drinks, aqueous foods | Liquid |
| Powder Grade E160b(i) | Bixin 2–5% on carrier; free-flowing | Orange free-flowing powder | Dry seasoning, spice blends, dry mixes | Powder |
| Organic Grade Certified | USDA NOP; specification per buyer requirement | Liquid or powder | Organic food applications | Liquid / powder |
Start by choosing the form, not the strength. Bixin is oil-soluble and belongs in fat systems — cheese, butter, margarine, snack coatings. Norbixin is water-soluble and belongs in aqueous systems — beverages, dairy drinks, brines. They are chemically related and functionally not interchangeable: bixin will not disperse in water and norbixin will not carry into a fat phase. Since the EU re-evaluation they also sit under separate specifications, E160b(i) and E160b(ii), with separate acceptable daily intakes, so the choice affects your label entry and your usage-level calculation as well as your process. Then specify colour strength rather than percentage alone — strength is what you dose against. For the whole-spice colour route see paprika oleoresin and marigold oleoresin.
Export specification for annatto extract. Values are specification limits and typical grade ranges; a batch-specific CoA is issued per shipment.
| Parameter | Specification / Limit | Method |
|---|---|---|
| Botanical Source | Bixa orellana L. | — |
| Plant Family | Bixaceae | — |
| Part Used | Seed coat (aril) | — |
| Country of Origin | Stated per lot | Declaration |
| Appearance | Deep orange to reddish-orange liquid or powder | Organoleptic |
| Odour | Mild, characteristic annatto | Organoleptic |
| EU Designation | E160b(i) bixin or E160b(ii) norbixin — stated per grade | Declaration |
| Bixin Content (%) | 2–10 by grade — standardised | By HPLC / spectrophotometric |
| Norbixin | Standardised on the water-soluble grade | By HPLC / spectrophotometric |
| Colour Strength | Declared per batch — the dosing basis | Spectrophotometric |
| Solubility | Oil-soluble (bixin); water-soluble (norbixin) | — |
| Carrier | Named with inclusion level | Declaration |
| Residual Solvent | Solvent named; within permitted limits — every batch | By GC |
| Lead (ppm) | NMT 2.0 | ICP-MS |
| Arsenic (ppm) | NMT 1.0 | ICP-MS |
| Heavy Metals (total, ppm) | NMT 10 | ICP-MS |
| Mercury (ppm) | NMT 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| Pesticide Residues | Complies (EU MRL, on request) | GC-MS / LC-MS/MS |
| Ethylene Oxide (ETO) | Not treated — declaration provided | LC-MS/MS (on request) |
| Total Plate Count (cfu/g) | NMT 10,000 | USP <2021> |
| Yeast & Moulds (cfu/g) | NMT 100 | USP <2021> |
| Escherichia coli | Absent | USP <2022> |
| Salmonella sp. | Absent | USP <2022> |
| Organic Certification | USDA NOP / EU Organic available | Certification |
| Kosher / Halal | Certified (on request) | Certification |
| HS Code | 3203.00 (Colouring matter of vegetable origin) | — |
| Shelf Life | 24 months from date of manufacture, in original packed condition | — |
| Storage | Cool, dark, below 20°C — light sensitive; light-protected packing | — |
Two lines on this specification decide whether the material will work in your process. The first is the EU designation. Following the re-evaluation of annatto, E160b was divided into E160b(i) bixin and E160b(ii) norbixin, each with its own specification and its own acceptable daily intake. They are not two names for one colour: bixin is the native, oil-soluble apocarotenoid; norbixin is the hydrolysed, water-soluble form. Bixin will not disperse in an aqueous system and norbixin will not carry properly into a fat phase, so ordering "annatto" without stating which is the commonest error on this ingredient — and it is usually discovered in a pilot batch rather than on paper. The split also changes your label entry and your usage-level arithmetic, so a quotation that says only "E160b" has not answered the question. The second line is colour strength, declared per batch. Percentage content tells you what is in the drum; colour strength tells you how much to dose, and it is the figure formulators actually work against. Note finally that the storage row is a real handling requirement rather than boilerplate — annatto is genuinely light-sensitive, which is why every grade ships light-protected and stores below 20°C.
From seed coat to certified batch — standardised, declared, documented
Sourcing & Extraction: Extracted from the seed coat of Bixa orellana, with raw-material origin stated per lot — India grows annatto in Odisha, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra, while Peru, Brazil and East Africa are also significant origins. The form is fixed at production: native oil-soluble bixin, or alkali-hydrolysed water-soluble norbixin.
Testing: Every batch declares its EU designation — E160b(i) or E160b(ii) — its bixin or norbixin content and its colour strength, with the carrier named and its inclusion level stated. The solvent is named and residual solvent tested by GC on every batch, alongside heavy metals by ICP-MS and a full microbiological panel. Non-ETO declarations are standard; organic, Halal and Kosher certification are available.
Documentation: Every shipment ships against a batch-specific Certificate of Analysis stating the marker assay, volatile oil where applicable, the solvent used and its residual level, and carrier with inclusion level where applicable, together with an MSDS. Halal, Kosher and Organic certification are available — see our guides on EU pesticide MRL compliance and EU import requirements.
What backs every batch of Annatto Extract oleoresin
Key information for global product registration and labelling
This is the point on which annatto purchases most often go wrong, and it is worth being precise. Annatto delivers colour through two related compounds. Bixin is the native apocarotenoid of the seed coat and is oil-soluble. Norbixin is produced by hydrolysing an ester group off bixin, usually with alkali, and is water-soluble. Following the EU re-evaluation of annatto colours, the single E160b entry was divided into E160b(i) bixin and E160b(ii) norbixin, each carrying its own specification and its own acceptable daily intake. Three consequences follow for a buyer. First, functionality: bixin will not disperse in an aqueous system and norbixin will not carry properly into a fat phase, so the choice is a process decision before it is a colour decision. Second, labelling: the two are not the same entry, and a certificate stating only "E160b" has not told you which specification the material meets. Third, usage levels: permitted levels and intake assessment are set against the specific form, so the arithmetic differs. We state the designation on every certificate. If you are unsure which your application needs, tell us the matrix — fat-based or aqueous — and we will specify it rather than leaving it to a pilot batch to discover.
Worth stating because the distinction catches formulators out. Annatto extract is an authorised food colour additive and is declared as such — by its E number or by name and function — on the ingredient list. It is not a "colouring foodstuff": that route covers concentrates of fruit, vegetable or other edible material used for their colouring properties and declared as ingredients rather than additives, and it carries different labelling consequences. Buyers pursuing a clean-label position sometimes assume that a natural-origin colour automatically qualifies for the colouring-foodstuff route. It does not, and the assumption is easier to correct at specification stage than after artwork has been printed. Annatto's strengths are genuine — a warm orange-yellow with good stability in fats, long-established use, and organic grades available — but the declaration is that of an additive.
Every oleoresin is a solvent-extracted product, which makes residual solvent its defining quality control rather than an afterthought. Permitted extraction solvents and their maximum residues are set by the destination market's rules and differ by solvent class. We name the solvent used on every certificate and test each batch by GC. Buyers should confirm the solvent is permitted for their market and application — a supplier who will not name it has made that check impossible. Where a specific solvent system is required, it can be specified at order.
Supplied from India by SV Botanica — FSSAI Central Licence holder, Spices Board and APEDA registered exporter. Raw-material origin is stated per lot; the E160b designation, bixin or norbixin content and colour strength are declared per batch. Shipped against a batch-specific Certificate of Analysis with export documentation available on request. This product is supplied as a food ingredient and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Guides on annatto colour and specification
Choosing the right annatto form, and what the E160b split means for your label.
RegulatoryResidue limits and screening for India-origin ingredients.
RegulatoryDocumentation, controls and border expectations for Indian botanicals.
Other colour and oleoresin products
Technical and commercial questions answered by our ingredients team
Oil-soluble bixin or water-soluble norbixin, supplied against the right E160b(i) or E160b(ii) specification with colour strength declared per batch and the solvent named. Tell us your matrix and we will specify the form.
Supplied as a bulk ingredient for further manufacture. Buyers are responsible for compliance with the regulations of their destination market. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
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