Curcumin

Curcumin (E100) is a yellow-orange pigment extracted from the dried rhizome of Curcuma longa (turmeric), a spice with millennia of culinary use across South and Southeast Asia. As a food colourant it imparts bright yellow to orange tones in products including dairy alternatives, mustards, curry pastes, confectionery, and certain beverages. Because curcumin is poorly soluble in water, manufacturers typically use oil-dispersed or emulsified forms, sometimes combined with carrier oils or encapsulation technologies to improve stability under heat and light exposure.

JECFA first evaluated curcumin in 1974 and established an acceptable daily intake (ADI) of 0–3 mg per kg body weight per day. For a 60 kg adult this translates to a daily tolerable intake of 180 mg from all food additive sources. The ADI was derived from animal toxicological studies with a standard safety factor applied. No EFSA numerical ADI figure is available in the EFSA OpenFoodTox 3.0 database for curcumin used specifically as a food colour.

Curcumin is approved for use in the EU (E100), United States, Japan, South Korea, and most major food regulatory markets. Typical use levels in food are substantially below the established ADI, so the everyday consumer is unlikely to approach the limit from food colouring sources alone. Note that dietary supplements may contribute significant additional curcumin intake independent of its role as a food additive; the JECFA ADI applies specifically to its function as an approved food colour.