Capsicum annuum L. · Family: Solanaceae · Fruit Oleoresin (Non-Pungent)
Paprika oleoresin is a colour product, bought on colour units rather than on pungency — and the line most specifications forget is residual capsaicin, which decides whether it behaves as a colourant or quietly adds heat. We declare colour value, residual capsaicin, Sudan dye screening and residual solvent on every batch. Byadgi-sourced, from the region prized for deep red at low heat.
A colour product, and the pungency line that decides whether it stays one
Paprika oleoresin is the solvent-extracted colour concentrate of non-pungent Capsicum annuum, carrying the carotenoid pigments — principally capsanthin and capsorubin — that give paprika its deep red. It is one of the most widely used natural red colours in food manufacturing, and India, particularly the Byadgi growing region of Karnataka, is a major origin precisely because that variety delivers deep colour at very low heat.
Unlike chilli oleoresin, this is not a pungency product. It is bought and sold on colour value, expressed in colour units, with 40,000, 80,000 and 100,000 CU the common commercial grades. That figure is what determines dosing: a formulator calculates inclusion from colour units required in the finished product, not from weight.
The specification line that most often goes missing is residual capsaicin. Paprika is the same species as chilli, and although colour varieties are selected for low pungency, the extraction concentrates whatever capsaicin is present. A paprika oleoresin with unexpected residual heat will quietly change the flavour profile of a delicately seasoned product — and in the EU, the E160c paprika extract specification limits capsaicin content precisely because a colour additive is not meant to season the food. We declare it on every batch.
The third control is Sudan dye screening. Paprika sat at the centre of the illegal-dye contamination episodes that triggered large-scale European product withdrawals, and screening remains a standard expectation on this material rather than an optional extra.
The carotenoid colour fraction
The principal red carotenoid of paprika and the dominant contributor to colour value. Unique to Capsicum and the reason paprika delivers a red that most natural colours cannot.
The second characteristic red carotenoid, contributing depth and the slightly bluish-red tone of high-grade paprika colour.
The orange-yellow carotenoid fraction, shifting the overall hue and contributing to total colour.
Present at low level even in colour varieties. Declared per batch because a colour additive should not add perceptible heat — and because the EU E160c specification limits it.
Vegetable oil or emulsifier system used to standardise a grade to a fixed colour value; named with inclusion level.
Where added to protect carotenoids against oxidation, the antioxidant is declared — relevant for clean-label and allergen assessment.
Why formulators specify a fully declared paprika oleoresin
Supplied at defined colour units so inclusion can be calculated on colour delivered rather than on weight.
The line that decides whether your colourant stays a colourant. Reported per batch, not assumed absent.
Paprika was central to the illegal-dye episodes that drove European withdrawals. Screening is standard here, not exceptional.
Karnataka's Byadgi variety is prized worldwide for deep red colour at low pungency — the natural raw material for a colour oleoresin.
Solvent named and tested every batch, since permitted solvents and limits differ by destination market.
Emulsified grades for beverages, dairy and aqueous systems where the standard oil-soluble form would separate.
These are functional and physico-chemical properties of the actives; SV Botanica does not make medical or therapeutic claims for this ingredient.
Colour grades and dispersible forms
| Grade | Standardisation | Form | Best For | Solubility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paprika Oleoresin 40,000 CU Standard | Colour value 40,000 CU; capsaicin declared | Deep red viscous liquid | Seasonings, sauces, general food colour | Oil-soluble |
| Paprika Oleoresin 80,000 CU High colour | Colour value 80,000 CU; capsaicin declared | Deep red viscous liquid | Meat products, snacks, cheese | Oil-soluble |
| Paprika Oleoresin 100,000 CU Concentrated | Colour value 100,000 CU; capsaicin declared | Dark red viscous liquid | Low-inclusion colour, cost-efficient dosing | Oil-soluble |
| Paprika Oleoresin WS/WD Water-dispersible | Emulsified; colour value and capsaicin declared | Red dispersible liquid | Beverages, dairy, aqueous systems | Water-dispersible |
| Paprika Oleoresin — Decolourised Capsicum Speciality | Low-colour, pungency-led — different product | Pale to amber liquid | Heat without colour contribution | Oil-soluble |
Grades are specified in colour units, not in percentages, because the buyer's calculation is colour delivered per kilo of finished product. When comparing quotations, confirm that both are quoted on the same colour-value basis and that the carrier and inclusion level are named — a 100,000 CU material diluted to 40,000 CU behaves differently in an emulsion from a naturally 40,000 CU extract, even though the colour figure matches. Residual capsaicin is declared on every grade. For applications wanting heat rather than colour, see chilli oleoresin or capsicum oleoresin; those are pungency products and are quoted on capsaicinoids.
Full product specification for Paprika Oleoresin 80,000 CU. Values are specification limits, not batch results; a batch-specific CoA is issued per shipment.
| Parameter | Specification / Limit | Method |
|---|---|---|
| Botanical Source | Capsicum annuum L. (non-pungent varieties) | — |
| Plant Family | Solanaceae | — |
| Part Used | Dried fruit (pod) | — |
| Country of Origin | India | — |
| Appearance | Viscous liquid | Organoleptic |
| Colour | Deep red to dark red* | Organoleptic |
| Odour & Taste | Characteristic of paprika, mild | Organoleptic |
| Colour Value (CU) | 80,000 — to grade, declared per batch | Spectrophotometric |
| ASTA Colour | Reported on request | ASTA method |
| Residual Capsaicin | Declared per batch — colour grade, low pungency | By HPLC |
| Carotenoid Profile | Capsanthin / capsorubin — reported on request | By HPLC |
| Solubility | Oil-soluble; water-dispersible grade available | — |
| Carrier / Diluent | Declared with inclusion level | Declaration |
| Antioxidant | Declared where added | Declaration |
| Moisture (% w/w) | NMT 1.0 | Karl Fischer |
| Residual Solvent | Solvent named; within permitted limits — every batch | By GC |
| Sudan Dyes I–IV | Not detected | By HPLC / LC-MS-MS |
| Lead (ppm) | NMT 1.0 | ICP-MS |
| Arsenic (ppm) | NMT 1.0 | ICP-MS |
| Cadmium (ppm) | NMT 0.3 | 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) |
| Aflatoxins B1 / Total (ppb) | NMT 2 / NMT 4 | HPLC-FLD |
| Ochratoxin A (ppb) | NMT 10 | HPLC-FLD |
| 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> |
| HS Code | 3301.90 | — |
| Kosher / Halal | Certified (on request) | Certification |
| Shelf Life | 24 months from date of manufacture, in original packed condition | — |
| Storage | Cool, dark place below 25°C, tightly closed, protected from light and air | — |
*Colour and viscosity vary with grade and carrier. Read three lines carefully on this certificate. Colour value is the commercial basis — dosing is calculated from it, so confirm quotations share the same basis and that any dilution is disclosed. Residual capsaicin is declared because paprika is the same species as chilli and extraction concentrates whatever pungency the raw pods carried; in the EU the E160c paprika extract specification limits capsaicin content, so a buyer using this material as a colour additive should be working to that specification rather than assuming pungency is absent. Sudan dyes are screened and reported as not detected: paprika was central to the illegal-dye contamination episodes that prompted large-scale European withdrawals and sustained border controls, and screening is a baseline expectation on this ingredient. Note also that carotenoids are oxidation- and light-sensitive, so colour value degrades in poor storage; where an antioxidant is added it is declared, which matters for clean-label and allergen review. A current Certificate of Analysis and MSDS are issued with every batch.
From Byadgi pod to declared colour — standardised, screened, documented
Raw Material: Produced principally from Byadgi chilli grown in Karnataka, the variety prized internationally for deep red colour at low pungency, which makes it the natural raw material for a colour oleoresin. Incoming pods are assessed for colour and capsaicin before extraction, since both determine the achievable grade and the residual pungency of the finished product.
Extraction & Testing: Produced at certified facilities in India. Each batch is assayed for colour value by spectrophotometry, with ASTA available on request, and for residual capsaicin by HPLC. Sudan dyes I–IV are screened and reported as not detected, and residual solvent is tested by GC against the named solvent. Contaminant testing covers moisture, heavy metals by ICP-MS, aflatoxins and ochratoxin A, pesticide residue screening and a full microbiological panel.
Documentation: Every shipment ships against a batch-specific Certificate of Analysis stating colour value, residual capsaicin, Sudan dye result, solvent and residual level, carrier and any antioxidant with inclusion levels, 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 Paprika Oleoresin oleoresin
Key information for global product registration and labelling
Paprika extract is a permitted natural colour in the EU under E160c, and the specification for it limits capsaicin content — a colour additive is not intended to season the food it colours. That single fact has a practical consequence most buyers miss: if you are using this material as a declared colour, residual pungency is a compliance parameter and not merely a sensory preference, so it belongs on your incoming specification. We declare residual capsaicin by HPLC on every batch. Buyers should work to the current E160c specification for their market and application, and their regulatory reviewer should confirm the declaration and purity criteria that apply to the finished product. In other jurisdictions paprika and paprika oleoresin are handled under their own colour listings with their own conditions.
Paprika and chilli products carry a documented history of adulteration with Sudan dyes — illegal industrial azo colourants used to enrich faded or weak material. Their discovery prompted large-scale product withdrawals across Europe and sustained official import controls on chilli and paprika products from a number of origins. Sudan I–IV screening is therefore a baseline expectation on this ingredient rather than a premium service; we screen every batch and report as not detected. Buyers should also confirm the current control status for their destination before shipping, since listings and control frequencies are revised periodically.
Supplied from India by SV Botanica — FSSAI Central Licence holder, Spices Board and APEDA registered exporter — principally from Byadgi material. Shipped against a batch-specific Certificate of Analysis carrying colour value, residual capsaicin, Sudan dye and residual solvent results, with export documentation available on request.
Guides on paprika oleoresin specification and compliance
Colour units, residual capsaicin, the E160c limit and Sudan dye testing.
ComparisonThe pungency product alongside it — and how the two specifications differ.
RegulatoryResidue limits and screening for India-origin ingredients.
RegulatoryDocumentation, controls and border expectations for Indian botanicals.
Other colour and capsicum products from our range
Technical and commercial questions answered by our ingredients team
Byadgi-sourced grades from 40,000 to 100,000 colour units, each declaring residual capsaicin, Sudan dye screening and residual solvent. Tell us your colour target and application. Samples for qualified buyers.
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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