Canthaxanthin
Function: Food colours
E161G is the European food-additive number for Canthaxanthin, a colour — added to give or restore colour to food. Canthaxanthin (E161g) is a colour used as a food additive.
What is E161G used for?
Canthaxanthin (E161G) 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 E161G safe or restricted?
E161G 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 E161G vegan or vegetarian?
Canthaxanthin (E161G) 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 E161G?
E161G appears in 84 of the 4.7 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in Surimi / Crab Sticks, Fish & Seafood, and Prepared Salads.
- Surimi / Crab Sticks7
- Fish & Seafood6
- Prepared Salads5
- Prepared Green Salads5
- Candy & Sweets4
- Gummy Candy3
- Prepared Pasta & Grain Salads2
- Chocolate Candy2
Often appears alongside
Additives most frequently found in the same ingredient lists as E161G 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 E161G
- What is E161G?
- E161G is the E-number for Canthaxanthin, a colour — added to give or restore colour to food. Canthaxanthin (E161g) is a colour used as a food additive.
- What is E161G used for?
- Canthaxanthin (E161G) 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 E161G?
- E161G appears in 84 of the 4.7 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in Surimi / Crab Sticks, Fish & Seafood, and Prepared Salads. Scan any barcode with the Forkin app to see instantly whether a specific product contains it.
- Is E161G vegan or vegetarian?
- Canthaxanthin (E161G) 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 E161G safe, and is it banned anywhere?
- E161G 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 E161G — 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.