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E160cColour

Paprika extract

What the research shows

Unclear

the research on this page hasn’t settled it

Used in food as a colour.

  • Vegan
  • Vegetarian
  • EU permitted

What research says

Studies in people

  • Open question

    Carotenoid levels in blood1

    In people, taking paprika extract daily raised blood levels of two carotenoids, and no side effects were tied to it.

How it’s made and used

  • Nutrient absorption from food2

    Paprika extract's capsanthin and capsorubin barely get absorbed, but its beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin do.

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.

Regulatory status

Checked Sep 2026

Status reflects the named register on the date checked. It is not a safety rating. A country appears here once we've found this ingredient on its official list.

How we check

Products

The 6 most-scanned of 14,485 products on Open Food Facts that list paprika extract.

  • Paprika Pringles · 165 g 6 additives
  • Mature Cheddar & Chive Tyrrells · 150 g 1 additive
  • Tyrrell's Sweet Chilli & Red Pepper Tyrrell’s · 30 g x5 (150 g) 1 additive
  • mayonnaise hellmann’s · 750 ml / 705 g, approx. 50 portions 2 additives
  • SNACK POPPÉ TOO GOOD · 85 g 2 additives
  • Mayonnaise Hellmann’s · 404 g (430 ml), approx. 28 portions 2 additives

References

  1. 1Umigai N, Murakami K, Shimizu R, Takeda R, Azuma T. Safety Evaluation and Plasma Carotenoid Accumulation in Healthy Adult Subjects after 12 Weeks of Paprika Oleoresin Supplementation. J Oleo Sci. 2018;67(2):225-234. doi:10.5650/jos.ess17155
  2. 2Pérez-Gálvez A, Martin HD, Sies H, Stahl W. Incorporation of carotenoids from paprika oleoresin into human chylomicrons. Br J Nutr. 2003;89(6):787-93. doi:10.1079/BJN2003842