Draft Sanitation Standard fo r Natural Edible Colorants 
 
Article 1  
The Standards are prescribed in accordance with the provisions of Article 10 of the 
Act Governing Food Sanitation. 
 
Article 2 
Solvents for the extraction of natural ed ible colorants shall meet the following 
requirements. 
(1) Water, ethanol, and vegetable oil, etc..  (2) Solvents permitted for use under the regul ations set in “Scope and Application 
Standard of Food Additives”. 
 
Article 3 
Excipients and other additives used in natural edible colorants shall under the 
regulations set in “Scope and App lication Standard of Food Additives”.  
 Article 4  
The purity of natural edible colorants shall meet the following requirements: 
Heavy metal Maximum tolerance
As 3 ppm (as As) 
Pb 2 ppm 
Heavy metal 40 ppm (as Pb) 
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 root s and stems of Beta vulgaris. 
Major component: Betanin.  
Blueberry Color Extracted from Vaccinium corymbosum L. 
Major component: Anthocyanins.  Name of colorant Source 
Buckwheat Extract Extracted fro m Fagopyrum esculentum MOENCH. 
Major component: Flavonoids.  
Caramel Dehydrated products of carbonhydrates.  
Carmine Extracted from female Coccus cacti L. 
Major component: Carminic acid.  
Carrot Colors Extracted 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 from the seeds of Zea mays L. 
Major component: Carotenoids.  
Crawfish Colors Extracted from the crust of crabs. 
Major component: Carotenoids.  
Elderberry Colors Extracted from Sambucus caerulea RAFIN. 
Major component: Anthocyanins.  
Gardenia Blue Obtained from 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 Porphyra tenera KJELLM. 
Major component: Phycoerythrin.  
Licorice Colors   Extracted from the roots and stems of Glycyrrhiza glabra Name of colorant Source 
L., Glycyrrhiza uralensis FISC H. or other plants of the 
same genus. 
Major component: Flavonoids.  
Monascus Colors Produced by Monasc us purpureus or Monascus anka.  
Mulberry Colors Extracted from Morus 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 e ndocarp of the fruits of Arachis 
hypogaea L. Major component: Flavonoids.  
Perilla Colors Extracted from the leaves of perilla. 
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. Name of colorant Source 
Major component: Phycocyanin.  
Strawberry Colors Extracted from 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 produ ced by the carbonization of 
vegetable material such as  wood, cellulose, peat and 
coconut and other shells. Th e carbonization temperature is 
from 800 to 1000 ℃). 
Xanthophylls Extracted and concentracted from clover. Major component: Xanthophylls. 
 Article 6  
This Standard shall be implemented from the date of promulgation.