E160aColour
What Is E160a? Carotenes and Where It Is Used
Also known as: Beta-carotene, Mixed carotenes
E160a is the additive number of beta-carotene and mixed carotenes, colours that give foods shades from yellow to orange. They are used in ice cream, drinks, cheese and cakes.
- In the Besin database
- 611 products
- About 5.2 in every 100 products
- Source
- Synthetic or plant-based
- Acceptable daily intake (ADI)
- No numerical value set
What does E160a do?
They give yellow and orange tones to ice cream, sodas, fruit juices, cheeses and baked goods. Because the body can turn beta-carotene into vitamin A, some products add it as a vitamin.
How is it made?
Made by chemical synthesis, extracted from carrots, palm oil and some algae, or produced by fermentation with a fungus.
Vegan and halal: Its sources are plants, algae, fungi or synthesis; no animal raw material is used.
Which products contain E160a?
611 of the 11,663 packaged products in the Besin database list E160a (Carotenes) in their ingredients. The categories where it appears most often:
- Single-Serve Ice Cream46 products
- Soda43 products
- Fruit Juice and Nectar24 products
- World Cheeses23 products
- Mini Cakes23 products
- Powdered Desserts23 products
Numbers as of the database snapshot of October 18, 2026.
Official evaluation
JECFA and the EU's former Scientific Committee on Food had set an ADI of 0–5 mg per kilogram per day. In its 2012 re-evaluation EFSA concluded that no ADI could be set from the data available. According to EFSA, use as a colour is not a safety concern as long as the amount from additives and supplements does not exceed what a normal diet provides from foods (5–10 mg a day).
Food additives are regulated by the EU food additives regulation (Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008) and, in Türkiye, the Turkish Food Codex Regulation on Food Additives (Official Gazette, 30.06.2013, No. 28693). The ADI is the amount estimated to be safe to take every day over a lifetime, given per kilogram of body weight.
Frequently asked questions
Is E160a beta-carotene?
Yes. E160a covers mixed carotenes and beta-carotene; labels usually call it beta-carotene.
Is E160a natural?
It depends on the source. Carotenes extracted from carrots, palm oil or algae and synthetic beta-carotene are written with the same number.
Which products contain E160a most often?
In the Besin database it appears most often in single-serve ice creams, sodas, fruit juices, world cheeses and mini cakes.
Sources
- EFSA (2012): Re-evaluation of mixed carotenes and beta-carotene (E160a)
- the EU food additives regulation (Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008) and, in Türkiye, the Turkish Food Codex Regulation on Food Additives (Official Gazette, 30.06.2013, No. 28693)
Last reviewed: . This page is for information only and is not medical advice. To report a mistake, write to iletisim@besin.app.