Annatto bixin
Function: Food colours
E160BI is the European food-additive number for Annatto bixin, a colour — added to give or restore colour to food. Annatto bixin (E160bi) is a colour used as a food additive.
What is E160BI used for?
Annatto bixin (E160BI) 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 E160BI safe or restricted?
E160BI is an approved food additive in the EU and currently carries no special regulatory restrictions in the EU additive register. Forkin classifies it as “No known concern” 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 E160BI vegan or vegetarian?
Annatto bixin (E160BI) 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 product-specific vegan and vegetarian signals where available, based on ingredient and label data. Always read the label for allergens.
Which foods contain E160BI?
E160BI appears in 285 of the 4.9 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in Potato Chips, Tortilla Chips, and Cakes.
- Potato Chips52
- Tortilla Chips35
- Cakes19
- Corn Snacks16
- Shortbread15
- Biscuits & Cookies11
- Margarine8
- Chocolate Candy7
Often appears alongside
Additives most frequently found in the same ingredient lists as E160BI 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 E160BI
- What is E160BI?
- E160BI is the E-number for Annatto bixin, a colour — added to give or restore colour to food. Annatto bixin (E160bi) is a colour used as a food additive.
- What is E160BI used for?
- Annatto bixin (E160BI) 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 E160BI?
- E160BI appears in 285 of the 4.9 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in Potato Chips, Tortilla Chips, and Cakes. Scan any barcode with the Forkin app to see instantly whether a specific product contains it.
- Is E160BI vegan or vegetarian?
- Annatto bixin (E160BI) is typically produced from plant, mineral, or synthetic sources, so it is generally suitable for vegans and vegetarians. The Forkin app shows product-specific vegan and vegetarian signals where available, based on ingredient and label data, since the source can vary between manufacturers.
- Is E160BI safe, and is it banned anywhere?
- E160BI is an approved food additive in the EU and currently carries no special regulatory restrictions in the EU additive register. Forkin classifies it as ‘No known concern’ 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 E160BI — 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.