1 The Draft Amendment of Standards for Specification, Scope, Application 
and Limitation of Food Additives  
DOH Food No. 1011302921 , 16 October , 2012 
Appendix  1: Standards for Scop e, Application and Limitation  of Food 
Additives  
 
09. Colors  
Code  Food Additive It ems Scope and Application Standards  Limitations  
09038  Caramel Colors  All foods: as practically needed.  Not allowed 
in fresh raw 
meat, fish, 
shellfish, 
beans, 
vegetables, 
fruits, miso, 
soy sauces, 
seaweeds, and 
tea. 
  2 The Draft Amendment of  Sanitation Standard for Natural Edible Colorants  
 
Article 5 
The sources of natural edible colorants shall meet the following requirements:  
Name of colorant  Source  
Amaranthus Colors  Extracted from amaranth.  
Major component: Amaranthin.  
Annatto, water or oil soluble  Extracted from the seeds of Bixa orellana L.  
Major component of water -soluble Annatto: 
Norbixin； 
Major component of oil -soluble Annatto: Bixin.  
Anthocyanin  Extracted from dark edible plants and its fruits.  
Major component: Anthocyanin.  
Beet Red  Extracted from the roots and stems of Beta 
vulgaris.  
Major component: Betanin.  
Blueberry Color  Extracte d from Vaccinium corymbosum L.  
Major component: Anthocyanins.  
Buckwheat Extract  Extracted from Fagopyrum esculentum 
MOENCH.  
Major component: Flavonoids.  
Caramel  Dehydrated products of carbonhydrates . 
Carmine  Extracted from female Coccus cacti L.  
Major c omponent: Carminic acid.  
Carrot Colors  Extracte d from the roots and stems of carrots.  
Major component: β -Carotene.  
Cherry Colors  Extracted from Prunus pauciflra BUNCH.  
Major component: Anthocyanins.  
Chlorella Colors  Extracted from chlorella.  
Major component: Chlorophyll.  
Chlorophyll Colors  Extracted  from the leaves of green edible plants.  
Major component: Chlorophyll.  
Cocoa Colors  Extracted from the seeds of Theobro macacao.  
Major component: Flavonoids.  
Cottonseed flour  Cottonseed is heated to obtain a dark brown 
product.  
Corn Colors  Extracted fro m the seeds of Zea mays L.  
Major component: Carotenoids.   3 Name of colorant  Source  
Crawfish Colors  Extracted from the crust of crabs.  
Major component: Carotenoids.  
Elderberry Colors  Extracted from Sambucus caerulea RAFIN.  
Major component: Anthocyanins.  
Gardenia Blue  Obtained fro m the enzymatic treatment of 
gardenia pigments.  
Major component: Genipin.  
Gardenia Yellow   Extracted from the fruits of Gardinia augusta 
MERR. var gracliflora HORT.  
Major component: Crocin.  
Grape Juice Colors  Extracted from the juice of Vitis vinifera L . 
Major component: Anthocyanins.  
Grape Skin Colors  Extracted from the peels of red grapes.  
Major component: Anthocyanins.  
Hibiscus Colors  Extracted from the flowers of Hibiscus sabdariffa 
L. 
Major component: Anthocyanin.  
Laver Colors  Extracted from Porp hyra tenera KJELLM.  
Major component: Phycoerythrin.  
Licorice Colors   Extracted from the roots and stems of Glycyrrhiza 
glabra L., Glycyrrhiza uralensis FISCH. or other 
plants of the same genus.  
Major component: Flavonoids.  
Monascus Colors  Produced by Monascus purpureus or Monascus 
anka.  
Mulberry Colors  Extracted from Mo rus nigra L., M. alba L.  
Major component: Anthocyanins.  
Onion Colors  Extracted from the bulbs of Allium cepa L.  
Major component: Flavonoids.  
Orange Colors   Extracted from the peels of oranges.  
Major component: Carotenoids.  
Paprika Colors  Extracted from  the fruits of Caprium annuun.  
Major component: Carotenoids.  
Peanut Colors  Extracted from the endocarp of the fruits of 
Arachis hypogaea L.  
Major component: Flavonoids.  
Perilla Colors  Extracted from the leaves of perilla.   4 Name of colorant  Source  
Major component: Anthocyanins.  
Persimmon Colors  Obtained from the edible portions of persimmon 
after fermentation, separation, pressing, 
browning, filtration, concentration, and drying.  
Major component: Polyphenol.  
Plum Colors    Extracted from the peels of plums.  
Major component: Anthocyanins.  
Purple Corn Colors  Extracted from the seed coats of Maiz morado.  
Major component: Anthocyanins.  
Red Cabbage Colors  Extracted from the leaves of Brassica oleracea L. 
var. Capitata DC. ev . Red Acre.  
Major component: Anthocyanins.  
Safflower Yellow  Extracted from the petals of Carthamus tinctorius.  
Major component: Flavonoids.  
Saffron  Extracted from the stigma of Crocus sativus L.  
Major component: Crocin and Crocetin.  
Shrimp Colors   Extracted from the crust of shrimps.  
Major component: Carotenoids.  
Sorghum Colors  Extracted from the seed coats of sorghum.  
Major component: Flavonoids.  
Spirulina Colors  Extracted from Spirulina.  
Major component: Phycocyanin.  
Strawberry Colors  Extracted fr om Fragaria ananassa DUCHESNE.  
Major component: Anthocyanins.  
Sweet Potato Colors  Extracted from the tubers of Ipomoea batatas 
POIR.  
Major component: Carotene.  
Tamarind Color  Extracted from the seeds of Tamarindus indica L.  
Major component: Polyphenol.  
Tomato Colors  Extracted from the fruits of tomatoes.  
Major component: Lycopene.  
Turmeric  Extracted from the roots and stems of Curcuma 
longa.  
Major component: Curcumin.  
Vegetable carbon  Vegetable carbon is produced by the 
carbonization of vegetable mater ial such as wood, 
cellulose , peat and coconut and other shells. The  5 Name of colorant  Source  
carbonization temperature is from 800 to 1000 ℃). 
Xanthophylls  Extracted and concentracted from clover.  
Major component: Xanthophylls.