Annatto dye (from seeds of the Bixa orellana tree)

Name: Annatto dye (from seeds of the Bixa orellana tree)
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Annatto dye from the seeds of the Bixa orellana tree (INCI: Bixa orellana)

Product Description

Annatto is derived from the seeds of the bixa plant (Bixa orellana). It has been used since antiquity as a dye for colouring textile, food, and cosmetic products as well as medicines. Annatto powder is exceptionally rich in beta-carotene.

Annatto is one of the oldest dyes, used since ancient times to colour textiles, food and cosmetic products, and medicines. The seeds are obtained from the bixa plant (Bixa Orellana), which grows in the tropical regions of America. It is in fact a tall shrub or even a tree that reaches a height of 6 to 10 m. White to pink flowers, 5 cm in size, grow on the plant in terminal panicles, from which an elongated fruit develops, bearing a spiny head with numerous seeds. These are covered with red papillae that are fused together and resemble a husk. The leaves are broad, smooth, and heart-shaped, growing up to 18 cm in length. It is also interesting to note that the plant received its Latin name after the Spanish conquistador Francisco de Orellana, who was the first to navigate the Amazon River.

The plant is cultivated precisely for the wonderful dye produced from the red papillae that cover the seeds. The seed contains 4.5–5.5% dye, which imparts a yellow to orange colour. The dye is obtained by soaking the seeds in hot water or oil. In Brazil, where the plant originates, the dye was used for body painting, wound healing, treatment of skin diseases and burns, and as a repellent. It was also frequently consumed as a remedy for treating diarrhoea, asthma, and as an antipyretic. Only later did it begin to be used to colour fabric and food products. The Aztecs knew the plant and its dye extremely well and called it 'achioti'.

Annatto is composed mainly of bixin and norbixin. Bixin, which is essentially the monomethyl ester of a dicarboxylic carotenoid, is oil-soluble, while norbixin, the dicarboxylic acid of the same carotenoid, is water-soluble. This means the dye can be produced on either a water or an oil basis.

The dye is used for colouring various products. It is most commonly found in margarines and cheeses, as well as in natural cosmetic products.

INCI: Bixa orellana

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