Back to catalogSafety
E161hColorantLow concern
Zeaxanthin
In plain words
The short version
A natural xanthophyll concentrated in the macula — eye-health supplement and clean-label yellow.
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 not specified — considered safe at typical food and supplement levels. Endogenous dietary carotenoid present in normal diets at meaningful levels.
The detail
Extracted from marigold petals (Tagetes erecta) together with lutein — zeaxanthin is the minority partner. Also a major pigment of corn, paprika, saffron, and goji berries. With lutein, the two xanthophylls that concentrate in the human macula.
The leading eye-health supplement (paired with lutein in the AREDS-2 macular-degeneration formulation). Also a clean-label yellow colorant in fortified beverages, dairy, and edible coatings. Fed to laying hens to enhance corn-yellow yolk color.
Yellow to orange-yellow crystalline powder or oily dispersion. Insoluble in water; soluble in fats and oils. Sensitive to light and oxidation.
Zeaxanthin is not on the EU list of authorised food colours; synthetic zeaxanthin is authorised in the EU as a novel food ingredient in food supplements at up to 2 mg per day. In the US, FDA had no questions about zeaxanthin from marigold as a GRAS food ingredient, noting that some uses may require a color additive listing.
Sources
- WHO JECFA database — Zeaxanthin (synthetic) (INS 161h(i)), 86th meeting (2018) — WHO / FAO JECFA, 2018. Group ADI 'not specified' (replacing the 2004 group ADI of 0–2 mg/kg)
- EUR-Lex — Commission Implementing Decision 2013/49/EU authorising synthetic zeaxanthin as a novel food ingredient (22 Jan 2013) — European Union (EUR-Lex), 2013. EU status: novel food ingredient in food supplements up to 2 mg/day; colour use falls under Reg. 1333/2008
- FDA GRAS Notice Inventory — GRN 639, Zeaxanthin from marigold (closed 2016) — U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2016. US GRAS as food ingredient; colour uses may need a color additive listing
Checked against these sources on .
Educational information only. Not medical, dietary or veterinary advice. Spotted an error? Tell us.