Food additive databasenutrient (fortification), colorChecked 2026-10-02
Dunaliella Carotene デュナリエラカロテン
Existing food additivePermitted in the EU (E160a)
- Purpose
- nutrient (fortification), color
- On the label
- “着色料（カロテン）” (coloring (carotene)), “カロテン色素” (carotene pigment), “カロテノイド色素” (carotenoid pigment), “藻類カロテン” (algal carotene), “抽出カロテン” (extracted carotene) (labeling is exempt when used for nutritional fortification)
- Name in the List of Existing Food Additives
- デュナリエラカロテン (No. 191)
- Source and production
- Obtained from the whole alga of the microalga Dunaliella (Dunaliella bardawil or Dunaliella salina), with β-carotene as the main component. It may contain edible fats and oils (specifications).
In Japan
- An orange pigment obtained from the alga Dunaliella, with β-carotene as the main component. In the List of Existing Food Additives product list, its uses are fortifying agent and coloring.
- When used as a coloring, the standard for use common to colorings other than chemically synthesized ones applies: it cannot be used in kelp (konbu) products, meat, fresh fish and shellfish (including whale meat), tea, nori products, beans, vegetables, and wakame products.
- It is labeled under its alternative name “藻類カロテン” (algal carotene) or under category names such as “カロテン” (carotene), “カロテン色素” (carotene pigment), and “カロテノイド色素” (carotenoid pigment). If the name contains the character “色” (color), the purpose name can be omitted, and labeling is exempt when it is used for nutritional fortification.
Japan's standards for use
- Standard common to colorings (excluding chemically synthesized ones): must not be used in kelp (konbu) products, meat, fresh fish and shellfish (including whale meat), tea, nori products, beans, vegetables, and wakame products
This is a summary of the standards for use. See the source list for the exact conditions.
In the EU
- It is on the EU list of food additives (Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II) as E160a.
- The EU specifications for E160a (carotenes) include algal carotenes obtained from Dunaliella salina (Algal carotenes, E160a(iv)) (Regulation (EU) No 231/2012).
Sources
- List of Existing Food Additives — Japan Food Chemical Research Foundation (Japanese)
- Standards for use and storage of each additive — Japan Food Chemical Research Foundation (Japanese)
- EU food additive database (Japanese translation) — MAFF (Japanese)
- Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on food additives — EUR-Lex
- 日本食品化学研究振興財団「既存添加物名簿収載品目リスト」（令和7年8月25日現在） (Japanese)
- 第10版 食品添加物公定書（2024年、厚生労働省・消費者庁）成分規格の定義 (Japanese)
- 消費者庁「食品表示基準について」別添 添加物関係（簡略名・用途名併記・一括名・栄養強化の範囲） (Japanese)
- 消費者庁「食品添加物表示に関するマメ知識」（用途名併記・一括名・表示が免除される添加物） (Japanese)
- Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012（食品添加物の規格）（EUR-Lex） (Japanese)
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.