Paprika extract
A natural red-orange colouring from dried red peppers, used to colour and lightly flavour snacks, sausages, sauces and dairy products.
EFSA established an ADI of 1.7 mg carotenoids/kg body weight per day for paprika extract (E 160c), based on the carotenoid colouring content. No genotoxic, reproductive or carcinogenic effects were observed in the studies assessed.
What is it?
Paprika extract (also sold as paprika oleoresin) is a concentrated extract from the dried ripe fruits of Capsicum annuum, the sweet red pepper. It contains two main carotenoid pigments, capsanthin and capsorubin, which are responsible for its deep red-to-orange hue. Commercial paprika extract typically contains around 7% total carotenoids. Unlike capsaicin-rich chilli extracts, paprika extract contains very little of the compound that causes heat. The carotenoids in paprika extract are not provitamin A, meaning the body does not convert them to vitamin A. Extraction uses food-grade solvents that are subsequently removed.
What does it do?
The carotenoid pigments dissolve into fats and oils, depositing a stable warm red-to-orange colour in the food. Because the pigments are fat-soluble, they spread evenly through products containing animal or vegetable fat. Paprika extract is also mildly flavourful, adding a subtle pepper note. It is used instead of synthetic azo dyes by manufacturers who want to label a product as using natural colours. The pigments are somewhat sensitive to prolonged heat and light, which can cause fading over time, but remain stable at typical cooking and storage temperatures.
Where you will see it
Paprika extract appears in a wide range of everyday products: flavoured crisps and snack foods, processed sausages and cured meats, cheese spreads, soups, sauces, salad dressings, fish fingers, ready meals, and some bakery items. It is also used in poultry feed to deepen egg yolk colour. On a UK label it will appear as paprika extract, paprika oleoresin, capsanthin, capsorubin, or E160c.
What the science says
Toxicology and long-term safety
EFSA conducted a full re-evaluation of paprika extract in 2015, reviewing a 13-week oral toxicity study and a chronic toxicity and carcinogenicity study, both carried out to Good Laboratory Practice standards on a specified commercial paprika extract. The panel found no genotoxic, reproductive, or carcinogenic effects at any dose tested. Based on the lowest dose at which no adverse effects were observed in the chronic study, EFSA set an acceptable daily intake of 24 mg/kg body weight per day. Estimated real-world dietary exposure from use as a food colour sits well below this level.
EFSA found no genotoxic potential in bacterial reverse mutation and mammalian cell micronucleus tests on a commercial paprika extract preparation.
No carcinogenic effects were observed in a chronic toxicity and carcinogenicity study on rats. EFSA established an ADI of 24 mg/kg body weight per day, equivalent to 1.7 mg carotenoids/kg body weight per day.
JECFA separately established an ADI of 0 to 1.5 mg/kg body weight per day expressed as total carotenoids for paprika extract, a more conservative figure than EFSA's, based on its own review of the available toxicological database.
Allergic reactions in people sensitive to capsicum
Paprika extract is derived from Capsicum annuum, and people with a genuine allergy to pepper or paprika can react to it. Case reports document IgE-mediated reactions, including urticaria, rhinoconjunctivitis, and anaphylaxis, following ingestion of paprika-containing foods. Three capsicum allergens (Cap a 1, Cap a 2, Cap a 7) are registered in the international allergen database. Paprika is also implicated in cross-reactions with latex (latex-fruit syndrome) and with some pollens. Capsicum allergy is considered uncommon in the general population, but occupational exposure through spice dust is a recognised cause of respiratory sensitisation in food workers.
Case reports document IgE-mediated anaphylaxis following ingestion of paprika, with positive skin prick tests and specific IgE to Capsicum annuum proteins.
Bell pepper shares cross-reactive allergens with latex via beta-1,3-glucanase and profilin proteins, contributing to latex-fruit syndrome in latex-allergic individuals.
Among sweet pepper greenhouse workers, work-related symptoms were reported in over 50% of those surveyed, and sensitisation to sweet pepper plant material was found in around 35%. Occupational rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma from inhaled spice dust are documented.
Antioxidant activity of the carotenoids
Laboratory and cell studies show that capsanthin and capsorubin have antioxidant properties, partly because their molecular structure allows them to quench free radicals. Animal model experiments suggest potential benefits for obesity-related conditions and skin protection from UV damage. However, these findings come from isolated cell and animal work, not human trials, and the amounts of capsanthin and capsorubin consumed via E160c in food are very small. No clinical claims can be made from this evidence.
Capsanthin and capsorubin showed stronger antioxidant activity than beta-carotene in laboratory tests, attributed to their extended conjugated keto-polyene chain structure.
Where it stands with the regulators
Who should be careful
People with a known allergy to capsicum peppers or paprika should check labels carefully and avoid products listing paprika extract, paprika oleoresin, capsanthin, capsorubin, or E160c. Individuals with latex allergy may wish to exercise caution given documented cross-reactivity between capsicum proteins and latex allergens. Paprika is not one of the 14 major allergens that UK law requires to be highlighted on food labels, so it will not routinely be bolded or listed separately in an allergen box.
The honest read
Paprika extract is one of the more straightforward food colours from a toxicology standpoint. It comes from an everyday vegetable, the same fruit used as a spice and salad ingredient worldwide. EFSA's 2015 full re-evaluation, which included GLP-compliant chronic and genotoxicity studies, did not identify safety concerns at any realistic level of dietary exposure. The main real-world consideration is allergy: a small proportion of people are genuinely allergic to capsicum peppers, and those individuals can react to food coloured with this extract. Because paprika is not a declared major allergen under UK labelling law, allergy sufferers need to actively read ingredient lists rather than rely on allergen boxes. The science on this one is well-established and not in active dispute.
Related additives
Common questions
Is E160c banned in the UK?
No. E160c is authorised for use in the UK under the retained version of EU Regulation 1333/2008 and appears on the UK FSA's list of approved food additives and E numbers.
Can E160c cause an allergic reaction?
Yes, in people who are allergic to capsicum peppers or paprika. Case reports document reactions ranging from hives and hay fever symptoms to anaphylaxis following ingestion of paprika-containing foods. Paprika is not one of the 14 major allergens that must be highlighted on UK food labels, so allergy sufferers need to check the full ingredients list for terms such as paprika extract, paprika oleoresin, capsanthin, capsorubin, or E160c.
What foods contain E160c?
Paprika extract is widely used in flavoured crisps and snacks, processed sausages and cured meats, cheese spreads, soups, ready-meal sauces, salad dressings, fish fingers, and some bakery products. It will be listed on the label as paprika extract, paprika oleoresin, or E160c.
Is E160c vegan?
Yes. Paprika extract is derived solely from red peppers (Capsicum annuum) and contains no animal-derived ingredients. It is suitable for vegans and vegetarians.
Sources
- UK FSA: Approved additives and E numbers
- UK FSA regulated products: E-160c authorisation record
- EFSA ANS Panel: Scientific Opinion on the re-evaluation of paprika extract (E 160c) as a food additive, EFSA Journal 2015;13(12):4320
- International Association of Color Manufacturers: Paprika Extract profile
- Wikipedia: Paprika oleoresin
- Khalil et al., Biological Activities of Paprika Carotenoids, Capsanthin and Capsorubin, PubMed PMID 33783751
- Wagner et al., Characterization of cross-reactive bell pepper allergens involved in the latex-fruit syndrome, Clinical and Experimental Allergy 2004
- Immunoreactive proteins of Capsicum-based spices as a threat to human health: mass spectrometry analysis and in silico mapping, Scientific Reports 2023
- Capsicum Allergy: Involvement of Cap a 7, a New Clinically Relevant Gibberellin-Regulated Protein, PMC 2022
- UK Food Standards Agency: Food allergen labelling and information requirements technical guidance
- EU Food and Feed Information Portal: Group II colours at quantum satis
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