| Botanical Name | Bixa orellana |
| Common Name | Bixa orellana, Roucou, Fam Bixaceae, Achiote, Anatta, Annato, Annotta, Aploppas, Arnotta, Arnotto, Orellana, Orlean and Orleana. achiote, achiotec, achiotl, achote, annatto, urucu, beninoki, bija, eroya, jafara, kasujmba-kelling, kham thai, onoto, orleanstrauch, orucu-axiote, rocou, roucou, ruku, roucouyer, unane, uruku, urucum, urucu-üva |
| Country of Origin | Brazil |
| Solubility | water and oil soluble |
| Specific Gravity | 0.91 to 0.93 |
| Optical Rotation | -10.5 -0.5@20°C |
| Refrective Index | 1.522–1.590 @ 20°C |
| PlantPart | seed |
| Bland With | It is easily soluble with water, emulsions and several oils, and also blends well with turmeric or paprika oleoresin. |
| CAS No | 6983-79-5 |
| Flash Point | 170 °C |
| Extraction Method | Extraction |
Annatto, also known as bixin, is a yellow coloring extracted from the fruit of tropical shrub Bixa orellana. It contains carotenoid bixin, which is a fat?]soluble component and is used to color cheese, butter dairy produce and baked goods. The seeds are also used as spice for flavoring in various Caribbean and Latin American foods.
Annatto is the seed or extract from the achiote tree, which is indigenous to Latin and South America. Annatto is used heavily in Central and South America as a dye, medicine, and as an ingredient in many foods. Annatto is a naturally intense dye which can range in color from bright yellow to deep orange. Many commercially made food products utilize annatto for its potent color.
Color : Yellow to orange,
Aroma : Characteristic odor
The seeds of annatto contain 40-45% cellulose, 3.5-5.5% sucrose, 0.3-0.9% essential oil, 3% fixed oil, 4.5-5.5% pigments, 13-16% protein and other constituents. It also constitutes tannins, ethereal oils, saponins, mustard oil like substances and sesquiterpenes.
It is extensively used for food coloring and finds application in preserved meats, cheese, sweets and variety of other foods. The red annatto dye extracted from the fruit pulp is extensively used in assortment of industries such as cosmetics, textiles and others. It is also used in medical preparations such as ointments and plasters. In India, the pulp of the annatto fruit is used as an insect repellent.
