Food additive databasecolorChecked 2026-10-02

Carthamus Red ベニバナ赤色素

Existing food additiveNot on the EU additive list

Purpose: color
On the label: “ベニバナ赤色素” (safflower red), “カーサマス赤色素” (carthamus red), “紅花色素” (safflower color), “着色料（紅花赤）” (colorant (safflower red)), “着色料（フラボノイド）” (colorant (flavonoid))
Name in the List of Existing Food Additives: ベニバナ赤色素 (No. 263)
Source and production: Obtained from safflower flowers, with carthamin as the main component. Source, manufacturing method, and essence follow the specifications in the Japanese Standards for Food Additives.

In Japan

A red colorant obtained from safflower flowers, with carthamin as its main component.
Colorants are a purpose for which the purpose name must be written alongside; when the short name “紅花赤” (safflower red) or the category name “フラボノイド” (flavonoid) is used, it is written like “着色料（紅花赤）” (colorant (safflower red)). When a name containing the character “色” (color) is used, the purpose name can be omitted. The short name “紅花色素” (safflower color) is shared with safflower yellow.
A standard for use common to naturally derived colorants applies: it cannot be used in kelp (konbu), meat, fresh fish and shellfish, tea, nori seaweed, beans, vegetables, or wakame seaweed.

Japan's standards for use

Must not be used in kelp (konbu), meat, fresh fish and shellfish (including whale meat), tea, nori seaweed, beans, vegetables, or wakame seaweed (standard for use for colorants excluding chemically synthesized products)

This is a summary of the standards for use. See the source list for the exact conditions.

In the EU

It is not on the EU list of food additives (Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II), so it cannot be used as a food additive in the EU.

Sources

Checked 2026-10-02. Rules and evaluations change over time. This page is a translation of our Japanese page; if they differ, the Japanese page is the reference.

This page lists facts stated in laws and in evaluations by public bodies; it is not a safety verdict. Additives used in Japan are approved by the government, which sets the foods and amounts they can be used in. The ADI is a guide to the amount that is considered safe to take every day over a lifetime.

Other substances used as color

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