Food additive databasecolorChecked 2026-10-02

Japanese Persimmon Color カキ色素

Existing food additiveNot on the EU additive list

Purpose: color
On the label: “カキ色素” (persimmon color), “果実色素” (fruit color), “フラボノイド色素” (flavonoid color), “着色料（フラボノイド）” (coloring (flavonoid))
Name in the List of Existing Food Additives: カキ色素 (No. 49)
Source and production: Obtained from persimmon (Diospyros kaki) fruit that has been fermented and then roasted, by extraction with hydrous ethanol, or by extraction with an alkaline aqueous solution followed by neutralization. In the List of Existing Food Additives definition, flavonoids are the main component.

In Japan

A coloring (“着色料”) with flavonoids as the main component, obtained by extraction from persimmon fruit that has been fermented and roasted. Under the standards for use common to natural colorings, it may not be used in kelp (konbu) products, meat, fresh fish and shellfish, tea, nori products, beans and legumes, vegetables, or wakame products.
Because it is a coloring, it must be labeled together with the purpose name. “カキ色素” (persimmon color), “果実色素” (fruit color), and “フラボノイド色素” (flavonoid color) contain the character “色” (color), so “着色料” (coloring) can be omitted; but when the abbreviated name “フラボノイド” (flavonoid) is used, it is written as “着色料（フラボノイド）” (coloring (flavonoid)) (Food Labeling Standards).

Japan's standards for use

Standard for 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 and legumes, vegetables, or wakame 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

← Back to the food additive database