Black Carrot Extract

About

What it is and where it shows up.

Black carrot extract is a natural red-to-purple food colourant derived from the roots of Daucus carota ssp. sativus var. atrorubens, rich in acylated cyanidin-based anthocyanins. It is used as a natural alternative to synthetic red and purple dyes in beverages, confectionery, dairy, and other food products, and is valued for its relatively high heat, light, and pH stability compared to other anthocyanin sources.

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

Anthocyanins from black carrot are generally considered to have low toxicity and are broadly accepted as safe at typical dietary exposure levels. However, neither EFSA (2013) nor JECFA (2019) could establish a numerical Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) due to insufficient toxicological data specific to the extract. Rare hypersensitivity reactions (urticaria, angioedema, anaphylaxis) have been reported in sensitive individuals exposed to plant pigment preparations.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union)	Approved	Approved as colour additive E163 (anthocyanins) under Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008. When selectively extracted, refined or concentrated from black carrot, must be labelled E163. EFSA re-evaluation (2013) could not establish a numerical ADI; safety conclusion rests on the 1975 SCF opinion provided exposure is comparable to dietary levels from natural food sources.source
FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India)	Approved	FSSAI approves natural colorants including anthocyanin-based pigments under the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011. Black carrot extract as a source of anthocyanins falls within FSSAI-permitted natural colour provisions; specific per-product maximum levels apply.source
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States)	Approved	Anthocyanin-rich extracts including black carrot extract are regulated as color additives by the FDA; they are not classified as 'natural colors' under 21 CFR but are used under color additive provisions. No specific numerical ADI established.source
JECFA (JECFA (FAO/WHO))	Under_review	At the 87th JECFA meeting (2019), the committee could not draw conclusions on safety of black carrot extract and did not establish an ADI due to lack of adequate toxicological data. Assigned INS 163(vi). Listed in JECFA Monograph 23 (2019). Specifications require anthocyanin content not less than 3%.

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Other — Rare but documented hypersensitivity reactions (urticaria, angioedema, hypotension, anaphylaxis) have been reported in individuals sensitive to plant pigments; those with known anthocyanin or plant-extract hypersensitivity should exercise caution.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1PubMed. Carrot Anthocyanins Genetics and Genomics: Status and Perspectives to Improve Its Application for the Food Colorant Industry, 2020. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
2WHO. BLACK CARROT extract – WHO JECFA Food Additives Database, 2019. apps.who.int
3other. BLACK CARROT EXTRACT – FAO JECFA Combined Compendium of Food Additive Specifications, 2019. openknowledge.fao.org
4PubMed. Anthocyanidins and anthocyanins: colored pigments as food, pharmaceutical ingredients, and the potential health benefits, 2017. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
5PubMed. Consumer exposures to anthocyanins from colour additives, colouring foodstuffs and from natural occurrence in foods, 2016. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
6EFSA. Re-evaluation of anthocyanins (E 163) as a food additive, 2013. efsa.europa.eu

Independently researched6 citations