Lycopene

Lycopene is a naturally occurring carotenoid responsible for the red colour of tomatoes, watermelons, and pink grapefruit. Commercially, it is extracted from tomato skins or produced by fermentation and used as a food colourant (E160d) to give products — including juices, soups, sauces, and confectionery — a red to orange colour without resorting to synthetic dyes.

JECFA evaluated lycopene in 2006 and established an ADI of 0.5 mg per kilogram of body weight per day. For a 70 kg adult this is 35 mg per day — roughly equivalent to the lycopene content of two to three medium tomatoes. The ADI applies specifically to lycopene used as an isolated additive, particularly in supplement concentrations; lycopene consumed as part of whole foods is handled at much higher levels without concern.

Lycopene is approved in the EU (E160d), the United States, and most international markets. It carries no mandatory warning labels and is generally well tolerated. Beyond its colouring function, lycopene is a well-studied antioxidant associated in observational research with reduced risk of certain cancers, though such health claims require separate regulatory approval. For consumers, its presence on an ingredient list is a positive indicator.