What Is Carmine?
Carmine is an insect-derived color. Under 21 CFR 73.100, cochineal extract is the concentrated solution obtained from an aqueous-alcoholic extract of cochineal, Dactylopius coccus costa, with carminic acid as its chief coloring principle, and carmine is the aluminum or calcium-aluminum lake of those coloring principles on an aluminum hydroxide substrate.
The FDA says color additives made from cochineal extract and carmine, which are derived from insects, have been identified as allergenic substances that must be declared on the label of all food and cosmetic products. It notes that most color additives exempt from certification can be listed collectively as artificial colors, but carmine and cochineal extract must be identified by name because of potential allergic reactions in some people.
That requirement came from a 2009 rule. The FDA revised its requirements to require declaration by name on the label of all food and cosmetic products containing these color additives, and confirmed the effective date of the final rule published January 5, 2009 as January 5, 2011. The regulation requires food products, including butter, cheese and ice cream, to declare cochineal extract or carmine by its common or usual name in the statement of ingredients.
Sources checked September 15, 2026. Every point below links the page it came from.
The sources behind this answer
- Regulatory filingUnder 21 CFR 73.100, cochineal extract comes from an aqueous-alcoholic extract of cochineal with carminic acid as its chief coloring principle, and carmine is the aluminum or calcium-aluminum lake of those principles. US FDA, 21 CFR 73.100 (eCFR) ↗
- Government sourceThe FDA says color additives made from cochineal extract and carmine, derived from insects, have been identified as allergenic substances that must be declared on the label of all food and cosmetic products. US FDA ↗
- Regulatory filingUnder 21 CFR 73.100, food products including butter, cheese and ice cream must declare cochineal extract or carmine by its common or usual name in the statement of ingredients. US FDA, 21 CFR 73.100 (eCFR) ↗
- Regulatory filingThe FDA revised its requirements for cochineal extract and carmine to require their declaration by name on the label of all food and cosmetic products that contain them. US FDA, Federal Register, via GovInfo ↗
- Regulatory filingThe FDA confirmed January 5, 2011 as the effective date of the final rule published January 5, 2009 amending 21 CFR 73.100 on cochineal extract and carmine. US FDA, Federal Register, via GovInfo ↗
- Government sourceThe FDA says most color additives exempt from certification may be listed collectively as artificial colors, but carmine and cochineal extract must be identified by name because of potential allergic reactions. US FDA ↗
Sources checked September 15, 2026. A brand statement is the company’s own claim, which we report but have not verified. Our grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests.