Cochineal

Studies in people

• Concern

  Skin reactions to food additives¹

  Carmine, a natural food colour, has been reported to cause skin reactions in some people.

Allergies and intolerances

These are about people with an allergy, an intolerance or coeliac disease. The signal is about the ingredient itself, and these are about the person eating it, so the signal does not count them.

• Food additive allergy²

  Some people tested positive for carmine allergy, and their reactions were not tied to also being allergic to mites.

• Allergic reactions to food⁵

  Some people have had allergic reactions after eating foods with cochineal, and insect proteins in it may be the cause.

• Allergic reactions to drinks⁷

  In five people, the red colouring cochineal caused a serious allergic reaction after they drank an alcoholic drink.

Single cases of misuse or overdose

One person or one incident, such as an accidental overdose or a mistake in a kitchen or factory. They are real, but a single case does not show what happens at normal amounts, so the signal does not count them.

• Allergic reaction to food dye³

  A boy had a severe allergic reaction after eating a frankfurter colored with cochineal.

• Allergic reactions to a red food dye⁴

  A man got asthma at work and an allergic reaction after eating a sweet with carmine in it.

• Allergic reaction to food⁶

  In one person, carmine in yogurt was linked to a severe allergic reaction.

• Allergic reactions to food colouring⁸

  A person had a serious allergic reaction to cochineal, a red colouring used in some foods.

• Allergic reaction to red food dye⁹

  A woman got hives, vomiting and breathing trouble after eating red food colored with cochineal dye.

The signal at the top counts the findings in people and in animal and lab studies. A concern in studies of people outranks animal and lab studies, and “No concerns” needs at least one finding in people. When most findings in people point one way, the page leans that way (“Mostly”), and every finding is still shown. Findings whose study type is not stated are shown but not counted. This page is a reference, not medical advice. It describes what regulators and published research say. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.

Expert panels that weigh all the research. Shown for context: the signal at the top does not count them.

• UN and WHO food additive experts (JECFA), 2000

  Acceptable daily intake: up to 5 mg per kg of body weight.