Carotenoids
Function: Food Additive
E160 is the European food-additive number for Carotenoids. Carotenoids (E160) is a food additive used as a food additive.
Is E160 safe or restricted?
E160 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 E160 vegan or vegetarian?
Carotenoids (E160) can be produced from plant, mineral, or animal-derived raw materials, and the ingredient list rarely states which source was used — so its vegan status genuinely depends on the specific product.
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 E160?
E160 appears in 4,848 of the 4.7 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in pastry, ice cream and cakes.
- Pastry675
- Ice Cream365
- Cakes173
- Brioche162
- Margarine135
- Sweet Pastries115
- Shortbread105
- Chocolate Candy87
Often appears alongside
Additives most frequently found in the same ingredient lists as E160 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 E160
- What is E160?
- E160 is the E-number for Carotenoids. Carotenoids (E160) is a food additive used as a food additive.
- Which foods contain E160?
- E160 appears in 4,848 of the 4.7 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in pastry, ice cream and cakes. Scan any barcode with the Forkin app to see instantly whether a specific product contains it.
- Is E160 vegan or vegetarian?
- Carotenoids (E160) can be produced from plant, mineral, or animal-derived raw materials, and the ingredient list rarely states which source was used — so its vegan status genuinely depends on the specific product. The Forkin app shows the verified vegan and vegetarian status per product, since the source can vary between manufacturers.
- Is E160 safe, and is it banned anywhere?
- E160 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 E160 — acceptable daily intake (ADI), restrictions by country, vegan/vegetarian status, alternative names, and which products in your scan history contain it. See view pricing.