| Botanical Name | Bixa orellana |
| Common Name | Bixa orellana, Fam Bixaceae, Achiote, Anatta, Annato, Annotta, Aploppas, Arnotta, Arnotto, Orellana, Orlean, 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 fat soluble |
| Specific Gravity | 1.130–1.35 @ 20°C |
| Optical Rotation | -10.5 -0.5@20°C |
| Refrective Index | 1.522–1.590 @ 20°C |
| PlantPart | seed |
| Bland With | It blends easily with water, emulsions and several oils, and also with turmeric or paprika oleoresin. |
| CAS No | 8008-79-5 |
| Flash Point | 170 °C |
| Extraction Method | Extraction |
It is a vegetable dye made from the seed coat of tropical Annatto tree, also known as bixa orellana. This natural colouring is commonly used in cereals, snack foods, dairy foods such as yoghurts, butter, ice creams, cheeses and a wide range of other 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 : Brighter red in color and peculiar odor,
Aroma : Characteristic odor
The seeds of the annatto fruits 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 widely used as an effective natural coloring in cosmetics and textile manufacturing. Also used as spice, it gives a bright and exotic appearance to many types of dishes. The fat?]soluble component carotenoid bixin makes it an ideal content for coloring cheese, butter, dairy produce and baked products.
