Annatto
Function: Food colours
E160B is the European food-additive number for Annatto, a colour — added to give or restore colour to food. Annatto (E160b) is a colour used as a food additive.
What is E160B used for?
Annatto (E160B) is a colour — added to give or restore colour to food. It is added during food production for a technological purpose rather than for nutrition. See all Food colours (E-numbers).
Is E160B safe or restricted?
E160B is approved for use in the EU. It sits among the additives EFSA keeps under ongoing review as new evidence is published. Forkin classifies it as “Under monitoring” and does not make health claims. See the methodology for how regulatory levels are assigned, or the guide to how EU additives are approved, re-evaluated and banned.
Is E160B vegan or vegetarian?
Annatto (E160B) is typically produced from plant, mineral, or synthetic sources, so it is generally suitable for vegans and vegetarians.
The production source can vary between manufacturers — the Forkin app shows the verified vegan and vegetarian status per product. Always read the label for allergens.
Which foods contain E160B?
E160B appears in 10,341 of the 4.7 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in Cheese, Ice Cream, and Hard Cheese.
- Cheese417
- Ice Cream409
- Hard Cheese330
- Cakes306
- Corn Snacks254
- Potato Chips236
- Prepared Pasta Meals236
- Sausages231
Often appears alongside
Additives most frequently found in the same ingredient lists as E160B across the catalogue.
Counts reflect Forkin's independently enriched product catalogue and update as new products are added — they are not a market-share statistic.
Frequently asked questions about E160B
- What is E160B?
- E160B is the E-number for Annatto, a colour — added to give or restore colour to food. Annatto (E160b) is a colour used as a food additive.
- What is E160B used for?
- Annatto (E160B) is a colour — added to give or restore colour to food. Manufacturers add it during processing rather than for nutrition. The Forkin app shows which products in your scan history actually contain it.
- Which foods contain E160B?
- E160B appears in 10,341 of the 4.7 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in Cheese, Ice Cream, and Hard Cheese. Scan any barcode with the Forkin app to see instantly whether a specific product contains it.
- Is E160B vegan or vegetarian?
- Annatto (E160B) is typically produced from plant, mineral, or synthetic sources, so it is generally suitable for vegans and vegetarians. The Forkin app shows the verified vegan and vegetarian status per product, since the source can vary between manufacturers.
- Is E160B safe, and is it banned anywhere?
- E160B is approved for use in the EU. It sits among the additives EFSA keeps under ongoing review as new evidence is published. Forkin classifies it as ‘Under monitoring’ and does not make health claims — see the methodology page for how regulatory levels are assigned, and the Forkin app for the full profile, including acceptable daily intake (ADI) and restrictions by country.
See the full profile in Forkin
The Forkin app surfaces the full regulatory profile of E160B — acceptable daily intake (ADI), restrictions by country, vegan and vegetarian status, alternative names, and which products in your scan history contain it. See view pricing.