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E100ColorantLow concern
Curcumin
In plain words
The short version
The yellow-orange pigment of turmeric — a widely loved clean-label natural colorant.
Why it's green
It's widely considered safe at the amounts used in food, so we mark it green. The Safety section below has the details.
Safety profile
ADI of 0–3 mg/kg body weight (EFSA 2010). Very low toxicity — turmeric has been consumed at dietary doses for millennia. Curcumin has poor bioavailability orally and is rapidly metabolized. Investigated as a nutraceutical for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, but the colorant-level intake is well below any pharmacological dose.
The detail
Extracted from the rhizomes of Curcuma longa (turmeric), a member of the ginger family cultivated in India and Southeast Asia for over 4000 years. The pigment is purified by solvent extraction and crystallization. Curcumin makes up only 2–5% of dry turmeric — most commercial curcumin colors are blends of curcuminoids (curcumin, demethoxycurcumin, bisdemethoxycurcumin).
The dominant natural yellow in mustard, curry powders, processed cheese, ice cream, snack coatings, and baked goods. Increasingly used as a clean-label replacement for synthetic tartrazine (E102). Often co-formulated with annatto (E160b) for warmer orange tones, or paprika oleoresin (E160c) for red-orange hues.
Bright yellow to orange crystalline powder. Practically insoluble in water; soluble in ethanol, oils, and alkaline solutions. Sensitive to light (photodegrades to vanillin and ferulic acid). Color shifts from yellow at neutral/acid pH to red-brown at alkaline pH.
Permitted in the EU, where curcumin is one of the food colours with a combined maximum limit in many food categories. In the US, the FDA lists curcumin itself as a delisted color additive, while turmeric and turmeric oleoresin are listed color additives, exempt from certification, for coloring foods generally.
Sources
- WHO JECFA database: Curcumin (INS 100i), ADI 0–3 mg/kg bw (2003 evaluation) — World Health Organization / JECFA, 2003. ADI of 0–3 mg/kg body weight
- EFSA: Refined exposure assessment for curcumin (E 100), EFSA Journal 2014;12(10):3876 — European Food Safety Authority, 2014. EFSA 2010 ADI of 3 mg/kg bw/day
- EUR-Lex: Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on food additives, consolidated text of 18 August 2026 (Annex II, Group III) — European Union (EUR-Lex), 2026. EU authorisation; curcumin is in the group of colours with a combined maximum limit
- FDA: Regulatory Status of Color Additives (turmeric, turmeric oleoresin) — U.S. Food and Drug Administration. US status: turmeric is listed for foods generally, exempt from certification
Checked against these sources on .
Educational information only. Not medical, dietary or veterinary advice. Spotted an error? Tell us.