Cochineal/Carmine
Function: Natural Color
E120 is the European food-additive number for Cochineal/Carmine, a colour — added to give or restore colour to food. CARMINE, also called cochineal, cochineal extract, crimson lake or carmine lake, natural red 4, C.I.
What is E120 used for?
Cochineal/Carmine (E120) 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 E120 safe or restricted?
E120 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 regulatory flags” 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 E120 vegan or vegetarian?
Cochineal/Carmine (E120) is typically derived from animal sources and is generally not suitable for vegans or 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 E120?
E120 appears in 12,188 of the 4.7 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in sausages, pork (general) and chorizo / sausage.
- Sausages2,737
- Pork (General)574
- Chorizo / Sausage461
- Salami / Chorizo367
- Gummy Candy332
- Flavored Yogurt324
- Marshmallow242
- Hard Candy220
Often appears alongside
Additives most frequently found in the same ingredient lists as E120 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 E120
- What is E120?
- E120 is the E-number for Cochineal/Carmine, a colour — added to give or restore colour to food. CARMINE, also called cochineal, cochineal extract, crimson lake or carmine lake, natural red 4, C.I.
- What is E120 used for?
- Cochineal/Carmine (E120) 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 E120?
- E120 appears in 12,188 of the 4.7 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in sausages, pork (general) and chorizo / sausage. Scan any barcode with the Forkin app to see instantly whether a specific product contains it.
- Is E120 vegan or vegetarian?
- Cochineal/Carmine (E120) is typically derived from animal sources and is generally not suitable for vegans or vegetarians. The Forkin app shows the verified vegan and vegetarian status per product, since the source can vary between manufacturers.
- Is E120 safe, and is it banned anywhere?
- E120 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 regulatory flags" 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 E120 — acceptable daily intake (ADI), restrictions by country, vegan/vegetarian status, alternative names, and which products in your scan history contain it. See view pricing.