Colour
E160a (carotenes): what it is, its sources, vegan or not
E160a is carotenes, a colour. E160a can come from plant oils, fermentation or a lab. Vegan and vegetarian profiles get Fits you.
By Bravoora teamUpdated Sources checked 4 sourcesHow we check
Fits you
for a vegan profile
E160a=plant oils, fermentation or a lab
What is E160a?
E160a (carotenes) is a colour, an additive that adds or restores colour in a food.
What is E160a made from?
E160a can come from plant oils, fermentation or a lab. The source is not stated on the pack: a label does not have to say which of these was used.
- Plant oils
- Fermentation
- Made in a lab
Is E160a vegan?
Fits you. E160a can come from plant oils, fermentation or a lab. Nothing from an animal.
What the app says to each profile, and the reason it shows.
What other names does E160a have on a label?
On a label, E160a can also appear as “INS 160a”, “Colour (160a)”, “Colour (E160a)”, “Carotenes” or “Beta-carotene”.
Any of these on a pack means E160a. The checker reads them all.
What would change the answer for E160a?
For E160a, only the ingredient list itself: a code the camera cannot read gets Needs one more scan, and the app never guesses a code it cannot see.
Sources: EU, US and Codex additive rules
Where additives are listed and approved. Bravoora reads the source and the diet; it does not rate the hazard.
- EU Regulation 1333/2008 on food additives (the E-number list)
- EU Regulation 1169/2011, Annex II: the allergen sources a label must name
- US FDA: Food Additive Status List
- FAO/WHO Codex: General Standard for Food Additives (GSFA) online
Names and classes cross-checked with Open Food Facts (Open Database License).
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