Colour

E161g (canthaxanthin): what it is, its sources, vegan or not

E161g is canthaxanthin, a colour. E161g is made in a lab. Vegan and vegetarian profiles get Fits you.

By Bravoora teamUpdated Sources checked 4 sourcesHow we check

Fits you

for a vegan profile

E161g=made in a lab

What is E161g?

E161g (canthaxanthin) is a colour, an additive that adds or restores colour in a food. Allowed in the EU only in Strasbourg sausages.

What is E161g made from?

E161g is made in a lab.

  • Made in a lab

Is E161g vegan?

Fits you. E161g is made in a lab. Nothing from an animal.

What the app says to each profile, and the reason it shows.

VeganFits youE161g is made in a lab. Nothing from an animal.
VegetarianFits youE161g is made in a lab. Nothing from an animal.

What other names does E161g have on a label?

On a label, E161g can also appear as “INS 161g”, “Colour (161g)”, “Colour (E161g)” or “Canthaxanthin”.

Any of these on a pack means E161g. The checker reads them all.

E161gE 161gE-161gINS 161gColour (161g)Colour (E161g)Canthaxanthin

What would change the answer for E161g?

For E161g, 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.

  1. EU Regulation 1333/2008 on food additives (the E-number list)
  2. EU Regulation 1169/2011, Annex II: the allergen sources a label must name
  3. US FDA: Food Additive Status List
  4. 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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