ANNATTO

Annatto is a type of food coloring made from the seeds of the achiote tree (Bixa orellana).
Though Annatto may not be well known, an estimated 70% of natural food colors are derived from Annatto.
In addition to Annatto culinary uses, annatto has long been used in many parts of South and Central America for art, as a cosmetic, and to treat various medical conditions.
This article reviews the uses, benefits, and side effects of annatto.

Annatto is an orange-red food coloring or condiment made from the seeds of the achiote tree (Bixa orellana), which grows in tropical regions in South and Central America.
Annatto has several other names, including achiote, achiotillo, bija, urucum, and atsuete.
Annatto most commonly used as a natural food coloring, as Annatto imparts a bright color that ranges from yellow to deep orange-red, similar to saffron and turmeric.

Annatto color comes from compounds called carotenoids, which are pigments that are found in the seed’s outer layer and many other fruits and vegetables, such as carrots and tomatoes.
Additionally, annatto is used as a condiment to enhance the flavor of dishes due to Annatto slightly sweet and peppery taste. 
Annatto aroma is best described as nutty, peppery, and floral.
Annatto comes in several forms, including powder, paste, liquid, and as an essential oil.

Annatto is an orange-red condiment and food coloring derived from the seeds of the achiote tree (Bixa orellana), native to tropical America.
Annatto is often used to impart a yellow or orange color to foods, but sometimes also for Annatto flavor and aroma. 
Annatto scent is described as "slightly peppery with a hint of nutmeg" and flavor as "slightly nutty, sweet and peppery".

The color of annatto comes from various carotenoid pigments, mainly bixin and norbixin, found in the reddish waxy coating of the seeds. 
The condiment is typically prepared by grinding the seeds to a powder or paste. 
Similar effects can be obtained by extracting some of the color and flavor principles from the seeds with hot water, oil, or lard, which are then added to the food.

Annatto and Annatto extracts are now widely used in an artisanal or industrial scale as a coloring agent in many processed food products, such as cheeses, dairy spreads, butter and margarine, custards, cakes and other baked goods, potatoes, snack foods, breakfast cereals, smoked fish, sausages, and more. 
In these uses, annatto is a natural alternative to synthetic food coloring compounds, but Annatto has been linked to rare cases of food-related allergies.
Annatto is of particular commercial value in the United States because the Food and Drug Administration considers colorants derived from Annatto to be "exempt of certification".

Annatto seems so mysterious, yet Annatto widely used. 
This ingredient comes from the tropical achiote tree, and Annatto bright yellowy-orange hue lends itself to use as a food dye. 
Annatto also possesses medicinal purposes and is an ingredient in many Latin American foods, along with Caribbean and Filipino cuisines. 
Annatto often used in soups, stews, sauces, and marinades where Annatto lends a sweet, peppery taste.

Annatto is the seed or extract of the achiote tree, which is indigenous to Central and South America, Mexico, and the Caribbean. 
The seeds and pulp have been used for hundreds of years for a variety of purposes and are used heavily in Latin America as a dye, medicine, and an ingredient in many foods. 
Annatto has a naturally intense hue that can range in color from yellow to dark orange when used as a dye, although the seeds are a deep, bright orange-red.

The fruit of the achiote tree is shaped like a heart and covered with thick, spiky hairs. 
As the fruit matures, the pod can be opened easily by hand to reveal Annatto red seeds. 
The seeds can be ground into a powder, turned into a paste, or infused into oil. 
Commercially, the seeds and flesh are processed to extract the potent edible dye.

Annatto is believed that annatto made the transition from use as a dye to use in the kitchen when Europeans who arrived in the Americas couldn't find saffron to tint their food and instead used annatto.

Annatto’s flavor can be described as earthy, musky, and slightly peppery. 
Some may detect a sweet, floral hint of nutmeg.

Annatto is a spice and food coloring agent made from the seeds of the achiote tree, which is a tree that is native to South American, Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean.

The seeds are found inside the fruit of the achiote tree and can be ground into a powder, infused into oil, or turned into a paste. 
Annatto has been used in these parts of the world for centuries as a food coloring agent in traditional dishes because of the naturally vivid red-orange color Annatto lends.

Annatto is also used as a coloring agent in foods such as cheeses and packaged snacks from around the world. 
Mimolette, an orange-colored semi-hard cow’s milk cheese from France, gets Annatto color from annatto, as does yellow cheddar. 
Some mustards, margarines, and snacks like Goldfish and Cheeze-It crackers also contain annatto.

Annatto isn’t just for color, though. 
Annatto comes with Annatto own special flavor, which is why Annatto also used as a spice. 
Take a whiff of annatto and you’ll be greeted by a nutty, floral aroma. 
The flavor of annatto is best described as mildly sweet and spicy, with some earthy, musky notes.

Also known as achiote, annatto seeds grow inside the spiny fruits of the achiote tree. 
When ground into annatto powder, Annatto’s primary use through history has been as a coloring agent for makeup, textiles, or to color foods. 
In particular, many cheeses use annatto to achieve an orange or red color such as Mimolette, Red Leicester, and Cheddar.

However, many people are beginning to utilize annatto seed as a spice in and of itself. 
The flavor is bittersweet with notes of mace and mint. 
The seeds are often added to oils to flavor and color them, or soaked into hot water to make a flame-colored broth. 
Add a few seeds to rice dishes or stews for color and a subtle spicy flavor.

Annatto is known by many different names worldwide. 
You may know Annatto as achiote, onoto, atsuete or urucum depending on where you’re from.

Derived from the seeds of the achiote tree, Annatto has a vibrant color that makes Annatto perfect for use as a coloring agent and condiment. 
Similar to paprika, saffron and turmeric, Annatto can lend foods a bright color that ranges from yellow to deep orange.

The bold color comes from carotenoids, which are plant pigments that are found in the coating of the seed. 
Annatto is most often ground up into a powder or paste form for use. 
Annatto color can also be extracted from the seed and then added to foods as a dye.

Some also use annatto to boost the flavor of certain dishes. 
Annatto has a mild, peppery flavor when used in large amounts as well as a nutty and floral scent.

Annatto is native to the tropical regions of the Americas. 
Historically, Annatto was used as a body paint, sunscreen and even a natural insect repellant.

Today, Annatto is used around the globe in both home kitchens and industrial factories alike and is cultivated as far as Africa and Asia. 
Still, Annatto remains especially prominent in Latin American, Caribbean and Filipino cuisines as a staple ingredient.

Annatto is a natural color and spice which is derived from achiote shrub which is evergreen and tall and is originated from Tropical region of America. 
This plant does well in sub-tropical to tropical climates with moderately fertile soil. 
The plant grows upto 6-10 m (20-33 ft) in height. 
Annatto has trunk of diameter 20-30 cm with dark gray bark. 

Annatto has ovate leaves of round with heart shaped base and pointed tip which is 10-20 cm long and 5-10 cm wide. 
Annatto has bright flowers which range from white to pink in color. 
The flowers turn to red and ovate to broad fruit which measures about 2.5-5 cm long. 
Other common names for Annatto are Achiote, Annatto, Urucum, Lipstick Plant, Colorau, Arnatto, Lipsticktree, Bija, Mugo-simu, Onotillo, Onoto and Orleansstrauch.
The color of Annatto is due to the presence of norbixin and bixin which is found in reddish waxy coating of the seeds. 

The seeds are grinded in the form of powder or paste to prepare the condiment. 
Annatto is used as a dye and food color and also used as a flavor enhancer. 
Annatto also possesses antidiarrheal, antipyretic, antidiabetic and insect repellent properties. 
The extracts of Annatto is used as a coloring agent in food products such as butter, margarine, dairy spreads, cheeses, cakes, custards, snack foods, potatoes, snack foods, sausages and smoked fish.

Achiote, more commonly known as annatto, comes from a small tree of Central and South American origin, with the botanical name Bixa orellana L. (family Bixaceae). 
The seeds of this tree have a covering of yellowish orange to reddish orange powder (pericarp, also called pulp) that is the source of a widely used food colouring. 
The seed is also used as a flavouring agent in South and Central American and Caribbean dishes, imparting a mild peppery flavour with a slight nutmeg taste. 
In South and Central America, the seeds are also used by natives to make body paint and lipstick; hence the achiote tree is also called the lipstick tree. 

Achiote grows to a height of about 5–6 m and produces pinkish white flowers that develop into clusters of bright red, heart-shaped fruits (capsules) covered with bristles. 
The fruit is inedible; when ripe the fruit capsules split open exposing an abundance of seeds which are embedded in an orange–red pulp. 

[Annatto is grown in] most tropical countries such as: Brazil, Peru, Mexico, Ecuador, Dominion Republic, Jamaica, India, Sri Lanka, Kenya, and to a lesser extent in the Philippines, Turkey and Angol. 
The pigment concentration varies between 5 % in hemispheric fruits, 3 %–3.58 % in conical types and 1.5 %–2 % in oval types. 
The plant starts bearing at the age of 3, and production continues for a period of 10 to 12 years. 
Yields vary from region to region from 300 kg to 600 kg per ha, and exceptionally 750 to 900 kg per ha.

Average annual production of annatto seeds is in the range of 10,000 to 11,000 tons, of which 60.2 % comes from Latin America, 27.4 % from Africa, and 12.4 % from Asia. 
Peru is the largest producer, accounting for 32 % of the world total, followed by Kenya and Brazil.

Although annatto is produced in developing countries, less than a third (about 27 %) is locally processed. 
Major processing plants are in Peru, Kenya, India and Brazil. 
The Peruvian production of annatto seeds is exported worldwide; Kenyan production is almost wholly exported to Japan, while the largest part of Brazilian production is consumed locally.

About 7000–8000 tonnes of annatto enters the international market each year. 
Jansen (2005) gives the breakdown of the annatto market:

The main market for annatto is the United States with 3000 t/year, followed by Western Europe (2500 t) and Japan (1500 t). 
Some 70 % of the product is used in the importing countries to colour cheese. 
Trade in annatto extracts (instead of dried seeds) has increased since the 1980s, with the water soluble norbixin extract being largest in volume, followed by vegetable oil extracts, and solvent-extracted bixin in third place.

Annatto is a natural orange-red food coloring derived from seeds of achiote tree (Bixa orellana), native to tropical areas. 
Annatto is used to impart a yellow or orange color to foods such as cheese, bakery or meat products, soup mixes and beverages.

More than 70% of natural food colors are derived from this ingredient.
The color strength is expressed as a percentage of Annatto two main carotenoid molecules, bixin and norbixin.  
Annatto is available in the form of:
Powder
Oil
Paste
Microcapsules

Annatto is a type of food coloring made from the seeds of the achiote tree (Bixa orellana).

KEYWORDS:
1393-63-1, Natural orange 4, alpha-Norbixin, Annatto pigment, UNII-MH1WZE9GBD, MH1WZE9GBD, Annatto extract, Annatto coloring dye, FEMA No. 2103, CCRIS 3651

Is Annatto Safe?
You’ve probably heard about the dangers of food dyes, with some reports even linking consumption of food dyes to cancer. 
However, keep in mind that these negative side effects are generally associated with artificial food dyes that are pumped full of chemicals and questionable ingredients.

Annatto is derived from a seed and is a natural food dye that is generally considered safe. 
However, Annatto may come with some side effects, and some people may need to limit their intake to avoid undesirable symptoms.

Storage of Annatto:
Ground annatto should be stored just like your other dry spices: In a cool, dark place such as a pantry or spice cabinet. 
If properly stored, Annatto will stay fresh for up to three years.

Both the paste and oil are better stored in sealed containers in the refrigerator once opened. 
There, the paste will keep for up to three months and the oil will keep for up to two weeks.

Oil made from achiote seeds will keep at room temperature in a jar with a tightly sealed lid for up to 5 days, or up to two weeks in the refrigerator.
Achiote paste will keep in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to three months and the powder will keep for up to three years in a cool, dark, and dry location.

Benefits of Annatto:

Potential health benefits of Annatto:
This natural food coloring has been associated with various potential health benefits.

Antioxidant properties of Annatto:
Annatto contains numerous plant-based compounds with antioxidant properties, including carotenoids, terpenoids, flavonoids, and tocotrienols.
Antioxidants are compounds that can neutralize potentially harmful molecules known as free radicals, which can damage your cells if their levels rise too high.
Research has found that damage caused by high free radical levels is linked to chronic conditions, such as cancers, brain disorders, heart disease, and diabetes.

Antimicrobial properties of Annatto:
Research suggests that this food coloring may have antimicrobial properties.
In test-tube studies, annatto extracts were shown to inhibit the growth of various bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli.
In another test-tube study, annatto killed various fungi, including Aspergillus niger, Neurospora sitophila, and Rhizopus stolonifer. 
Moreover, adding the dye to bread inhibited the growth of fungi, extending the bread’s shelf life.

Similarly, one study found that pork patties that were treated with annatto powder had less microbe growth than untreated patties after 14 days in storage.
This research indicates that this food coloring may have a promising role in food preservation.

May have anticancer properties of Annatto:
Early research suggests annatto has cancer-fighting potential.
For example, test-tube studies have found that extracts of this food coloring may suppress cancer cell growth and induce cell death in human prostate, pancreas, liver, and skin cancer cells, among other types of cancer.
The potential anticancer properties of annatto have been linked to compounds Annatto contains, including the carotenoids bixin and norbixin, and tocotrienols, a type of vitamin E.
While these findings are promising, human studies are needed to investigate these effects.

May promote eye health
Annatto is high in carotenoids, which may benefit eye health (15Trusted Source).
In particular, Annatto high in the carotenoids bixin and norbixin, which are found in the outer layer of the seed and help give Annatto Annatto vibrant yellow-to-orange color.

In an animal study, supplementing with norbixin for 3 months reduced the accumulation of the compound N-retinylidene-N-retinylethanolamine (A2E), which has been linked to age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
AMD is the leading cause of irreversible blindness among older adults.
However, human studies are needed before annatto can be recommended for this purpose.

Annatto has been linked to several potential health benefits, such as healthy eyes, better heart health, and reduced inflammation. 
Annatto may also have antioxidant, anticancer, and antimicrobial properties.

Healthy eyes
The carotenoid content found in the seeds of Annatto is the reason for the pigment extraction. 
The high content of carotenoid acts as antioxidants in ocular system and prevents cataract development. 
Annatto also prevents the chances of macular degeneration by making the strong vision. 

Annatto is high in carotenoids, plant compounds that can benefit many aspects of health. 
In particular, though, carotenoids are known for their ability to help protect against eye-related disorders.

Norbixin is another type of carotenoid that is found in annatto and has been linked to improved eye health.
One animal study showed that supplementing rats with norbixin for three months reduced the accumulation of a compound associated with macular degeneration, a type of eye disease that leads to vision loss.

Antioxidants of Annatto:
Annatto has organic compounds such as tocotrienols that acts as antioxidants for the body. 
Annatto is also used as a treatment for skin health and anti-aging solution. 
Annatto paste which is made from seeds is applied topically to lower the signs of wrinkles, imperfections and blemishes. 
Annatto is used to make the skin look young and tighten the skin. 

Annatto is rich in antioxidants, or compounds that help neutralize the effects of harmful free radicals that can build up and cause damage to cells. 
Antioxidants have been linked to a decreased risk of several chronic health conditions, including cancer and heart disease. 

Adding annatto seeds to foods may also help supply natural antioxidants. 
In one study published in the Korean Journal for Food Science of Animal Resources, annatto seeds added to pork patties were found to cause an increase in antioxidant activity.

Annatto is also high in carotenoids, or natural plant pigments that work as antioxidants to promote better health. 
Annatto especially high in bixin, a carotenoid that has been studied extensively for Annatto potent antioxidant properties.

Digestive health
Annatto seeds have high content of fiber and the leaves of Achiote plant are helpful for human digestion as Annatto promotes smooth passage of food. 
Annatto helps to reduce cholesterol and manage diabetes. 
Annatto optimizes the level of insulin and glucose in blood. 
Annatto has been used as a diabetic management for generations.

Bone health
Annatto has high content of calcium that provides mineral density and also promotes strength and durability. 
Annatto prevents the chances of osteoporosis with the essential minerals such as calcium. 

Osteoporosis is an incredibly common condition that causes bones to become porous, weak and fragile. 
Each year, approximately 1.5 million Americans suffer fractures caused by bone disease. 

Annatto is high in tocotrienol, a form of vitamin E that some studies show could help with keeping bones strong and healthy. 
In one animal study out of Malaysia, treating rats with annatto tocotrienol helped prevent some of the symptoms of osteoporosis, like bone loss and decreased bone formation.

Although more research is needed to look at the effects on human bone health, annatto may be a promising complementary treatment for osteoporosis when paired with a balanced diet, regular physical activity and adequate vitamin D.

Prevent chances of birth defects
Annatto has high content of folate which helps to prevent neural tube defects in new born children. 
Pregnant women should increase the intake of folic acid that helps to prevent these conditions. 

Heal wounds
The wounds, burns and skin irritation could be healed fast by applying the paste of Annatto seed. 
Annatto speeds up the healing process and lowers the appearance of scars. 
Annatto also prevents the chances of infections. 

Treat stomach discomfort
Annatto is used to calm upset stomach and treats discomfort and heartburn. 
Annatto is used for viral infections.

Treat cancer
Annatto seeds have norbixin which acts as a powerful antioxidant. 
Annatto has anti-mutagenic effect. 

Treat gonorrhea
Annatto is used to treat gonorrhea. 
Annatto us useful for treating painful and embarrassing condition either topically or internally which helps to clear STD. 

Fights Bacteria
Annatto possesses powerful antimicrobial properties that can help kill off some of the harmful bacteria that cause infection and disease. 
One study by the Department of Animal and Avian Sciences at the University of Maryland College Park measured the effects of annatto extract against several types of bacteria and found that Annatto was especially effective against a few of the specific kinds of bacteria that cause staph infections and foodborne illness.

Another study published in the International Journal of Pharmacognosy found similar results, showing that the extract was able to fight against certain strains of bacteria due to Annatto antimicrobial properties.
Thanks to Annatto antimicrobial effects, annatto may be able to help stave off bacterial infections and promote better health.

Keeps Your Heart Healthy
Heart health is an integral component of overall health. 
Your heart pumps blood throughout your body to supply nutrients to your tissues and keep your body functioning. 
Some research has found that bixin, the main carotenoid found in annatto, could help protect the health of your heart by reducing several risk factors of heart disease.

In a 2015 animal study, rabbits were fed a high-cholesterol diet that was supplemented with bixin. 
Bixin helped reduce the build up of plaque in the arteries by 55 percent. 
Annatto also decreased several inflammatory markers, dropped triglycerides by 41 percent and increased good HDL cholesterol by an impressive 160 percent.

In combination with a nutritious diet full of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables plus a healthy lifestyle, annatto could be beneficial in optimizing your heart health.

Aids Wound Healing
Besides boosting the flavor and aroma of foods, annatto seeds are sometimes also ground up and applied topically to help enhance the health of your skin. 
Bixin, in particular, is a carotenoid that has been shown to help speed up the wound-healing process in some studies.

In one animal study, bixin was found effectively reduce inflammation, boost skin cell regeneration and improve the healing of ulcers in the mouths of rats.
Another test-tube study conducted at the University of Arizona’s College of Pharmacy & Arizona Cancer Center showed that applying bixin to skin cells prevented damage from UV light.

Although Annatto primarily found in food, annatto is also added to many skincare products and face masks to help nourish and improve skin.

Protects the Liver
Known for Annatto ability to detoxify, produce proteins and metabolize drugs, a healthy liver is a crucial component of overall health. 
Thanks to their antioxidant properties, the carotenoids found in annatto may have a protective effect on the liver.

In one study, rats were injected with a chemical that induced liver damage as well as bixin, the main carotenoid in annatto. 
Bixin was able to effectively prevent liver damage and oxidation by neutralizing harmful free radicals.

Although more research is needed, these results suggest that incorporating annatto seeds into a healthy diet could help keep your liver in tip-top shape.

How to Cook With Annatto
Many dishes in Central and South America, such as arroz con pollo, use annatto for the distinct yellow color. 
Annatto is also used to color soups, stews, and spice rubs. 
Annatto an ingredient in Goya's Sazón seasoning (Annatto will say con culantro y achiote), giving rice Annatto color in Caribbean-style black beans and yellow rice, and is added to many tandoori cooking recipes, too.

Annatto seeds are usually steeped in oil or ground to a powder prior to adding to recipes, rather than adding the seeds whole. 
Annatto is a key flavor component in many Latin American dishes. 
The paste is easy to use; just take a small bit of Annatto and mix Annatto with water. 
The powder can be sprinkled right onto whatever you are cooking as you would with any other dried ground spice or herb. 
If you have access to dried seeds, those can be soaked in hot water until they give off their color, or you can fry them in a neutral oil such as canola and strain Annatto off prior to use in dishes.

How to cook with annatto depends on what form of the spice you’re starting with.

Ground annatto: Use Annatto like any other dry ground spice. 
Annatto can be sprinkled on meats, stirred into rice dishes, as well as added to soups, stews, and sauces.

Annatto paste: Thin with a little water and then add directly to your dishes.

Annatto oil: The oil can be used as a cooking oil for meats, vegetables, and rice dishes, as well as in marinades.

Annatto is used in a number of traditional Latin American and Filipino dishes to provide color and flavor. 
Annatto often used in marinades, dry rubs, to give classic yellow rice Annatto golden hue, and even to lend color to savory pastry crust.

You’ll sometimes see recipes call for sazón, which is a dry seasoning that includes annatto in the box along with a handful of other spices, as well as spice. 
Annatto a popular option because of Annatto convenience. 
You can also buy sazón without annatto, which simply means Annatto won’t lend annatto’s pretty color to your dish.

Uses of Annatto:
Annatto is responsible for the yellow color of butter, margarine, and cheese, all of which would be a pale creamy color without the addition of this natural dye. 
Cheddar cheese acquired Annatto classic orange color from annatto during the 1800s when Annatto was thought that high-quality cheeses gained their color from the presence of beta-carotene from higher quality green grass fed to cattle. 
Ironically, many people now assume the bright yellow color comes from unnatural ingredients.

Annatto is used as a colorant in many other commercial products such as processed meats, smoked fish, beverages, and a variety of packaged food. 
Many cosmetics utilize annatto for Annatto strong hue, giving Annatto the nickname "the lipstick tree."

Annatto has been used for centuries for various purposes.
Traditionally, Annatto was used for body painting, as sunscreen, as an insect repellant, and for treating disorders, such as heartburn, diarrhea, ulcers, and skin issues.
Today, Annatto mainly used as a natural food coloring and for Annatto flavor profile.

For example, this natural food additive is present in various industrial foods, such as cheeses, butter, margarine, custards, cakes, and baked products.
In many areas of the world, annatto seeds are ground up into a paste or powder and combined with other spices or seeds in various dishes. 
As such, Annatto an important ingredient in cochinita pibil, a traditional Mexican slow-roasted pork dish.
Compared with artificial food colorings, annatto offers antioxidants and has other benefits.

Plus, Annatto seeds can be used to make essential oils that are used in aromatherapy and may have antimicrobial effects.
However, Annatto important to note that essential oils are meant to be inhaled or applied to the skin. 
They should not be swallowed as this can be harmful.

Annatto has been traditionally used for various purposes, including in art, cooking, and medicine. 
Still, Annatto main use today is as a food coloring and to add flavor to dishes.

Annatto is found in many types of processed foods to add color and brighten them up. 
Some common sources include:
Ice cream
Cereal
Butter
Salad dressings
Crackers
Yellow cheeses, like American, cheddar and Velveeta
Ready-to-eat roasted/barbecue chicken
Microwave popcorn
Powdered donuts

Of course, I do not recommend consuming processed foods. 
However, you can also use annatto in home, healthy versions of these common snacks and foods, leaving out all the artificial and harmful ingredients.

Annatto is also a conventional ingredient in many cosmetics and skincare products and is even used to color some capsules, pills and vitamins.
Annatto is also used to impart Annatto bold color, flavor and aroma in many types of cuisines around the world.
Annatto responsible for the brightly hued rice dishes found throughout Latin America and the Caribbean and used in many traditional dishes like hallacas in Venezuela and cochinita pibil (Yucatan barbecued pork) in Mexico, among others.

Traditional uses of Annatto:
Annatto is used to treat bronchitis and heal wounds.
The infusion made from leaves helps to treat sore throat, bronchitis and eye inflammation.
Annatto is used to treat tonsilitis, sunstroke, leprosy, burns, apnoea, pleurisy, recta discomfort, apnoea and headaches.

Annatto is used as a wash for skin infections and cure for stomach adn liver disorders.
Annatto is used as a repellant for flies and mosquitoes.
Shoots and leaves possess febrifugal, astringent and aphrodisiac properties.
Annatto is used as a treatment for rashes, diarrhea, dysentery, sores and swellings.
The decoction made from leaves is used as a gargle for throat and mouth infections.

Annatto is used for fluid retention, malaria and hepatitis.
Annatto is also used as a bowel cleanser.
Annatto is used to treat vaginal infections.
Annatto is used to treat skin problems, dysentery, fevers and hepatitis.
Roots are used as an aid for digestive health and cough suppressant.

Annatto is used to treat rashes, cuts and other ailments.
The infusion made from bark and leaves are useful for stomachache, dysentery, nausea, vomiting, stomach problems and acid reflux.
Apply the boiled leaved to the body and head for the treatment fever.
For sore throat, use boiled leaves as a gargle.

Mix the coconut oil and pounded leaves and apply Annatto to forehead for the treatment of headaches.
The poultice made from leaves is useful for the treatment of gonorrhea.
Annatto leaves are useful for snake bites.

The pulp of Annatto is useful to eliminate scars caused due to blisters and also stops bleeding.
The seeds and bark are used for treating thinning hair.
The branches and bark are used to promote menstrual flow and also alleviates menstrual pain.

The decoction prepared from pulp of Annatto seeds are treatment for coughs.
The decoction made from leaves is used to eliminate the symptoms of heat stroke.

Culinary uses of Annatto:
As a food colour additive, annatto has the E-number E160 b. 
The fat-soluble portion of crude extract is composed of bixin and the water-soluble part is mainly norbixin, both sharing the same E number as annatto. 

Annatto seed contains 4.5–5 % pigment, about 70–80 % of which is bixin and the remainder norbixin. 
Because the extract is soluble in lipids, Annatto is widely used in the food industry to impart red to orange–yellow colours to a variety of foods, e.g. cheese, butter, oils, margarine, ice cream, candy, bakery products and rice. 
Annatto has been particularly useful in the dairy sector where the available synthetic alternatives have proven to be unstable; annatto has been shown to be non-toxic and to have the additional benefit of high vitamin A content.

In the Caribbean, the seeds are usually fried in (animal or vegetable) fat; after discarding the seeds, the then golden-yellow fat is used to fry vegetables or meat. 
By this procedure, a golden yellow to golden brown colour is achieved. 
Mexican cooks often use a paste (achiote) of annatto seeds with some preservatives (acetic acid) that dissolves completely in hot fat; Annatto is easy to use and can also be added to marinades and sauces to improve the colour. 
Similar use is found in Peru and Bolivia in South America.

In South México (Yucatán), meat is often marinated with a spice mixture called recado that derives Annatto vibrantly yellow colour from liberal addition of annatto. 
The annatto seeds may be used ground (often after soaking in hot water to soften them) or in form of annatto oil. 
Recado is made from annatto, dried oregano, ground spices (black pepper, allspice and cumin), garlic and fiery Yucatean chilies. 
They key flavour is the juice of bitter oranges (sour oranges or Seville oranges) which adds a distinct, acidic fruitiness. 

Recado-marinated meats are wrapped in banana leaves and baked in a hot stone pit. 
Baking in a hot oven, pan-frying or grilling is also possible. 
The technique can be applied to poultry and fish, but is most popular for pork, especially suckling pig. 
Food prepared this way is generally referred to as pibil.

By Spanish influence, annatto also has made Annatto way to South East Asia. 
On the Philippines, the seeds are often ground to a powder and added to soups and stews; meat is often marinated with annatto-coloured seasonings. 
The colour obtained here by is brownish-yellow, less vibrant than the colour resulting from usage of annatto oil in the Caribbean. 

In Vietnam, batters are often prepared with annatto oil to achieve a more attractive colour; annatto oil is also common for improving the colour of coconut-based curries. 
Lastly, there are Vietnamese variations of Beijing duck that use annatto to colour the bird’s skin. 
In China, annatto seeds are occasionally contained in seasonings or marinades for grilled or fried meats (predominantly pork), resulting in a bright orange meat surface.

Apart from the direct uses, annatto products are also used indirectly in food preparation such as:

Achiote-coloured oil: There are bland oils flavoured and coloured with achiote seeds. 
In Mexican and Indian cuisine the oil is used to add a colour and flavour to many foods.

Achiote paste: This is a paste made from ground achiote seeds, water or vinegar, and then mixed with other herbs and spices (e.g. cinnamon, bay leaf, cilantro, salt, cloves and oregano).

Achiotina: This is a lard compound that has been flavoured and coloured with achiote seeds. 
Annatto is mainly used in Puerto Rican cooking for the preparation of bean and rice dishes, as well as vegetables, meats, and stews.

Traditional cuisine of Annatto:
Ground annatto seeds, often mixed with other seeds or spices, are used in the form of paste or powder for culinary use, especially in Latin American, Jamaican, Belizean, Chamorro, Vietnamese, and Filipino cuisines. 
In Mexican and Belizean cuisines, Annatto is used to make the spice recado rojo. 

In Venezuela, annatto is used in the preparation of hallacas, huevos pericos, and other traditional dishes. 
In Puerto Rico Annatto is often simmered in oil or ground with seasonings and herbs to make sazón or used to make pasteles, arroz con gandules, and several other dishes where Annatto one of the main ingredients. 
Annatto paste is an important ingredient of cochinita pibil, the slow-roasted pork dish popular in Mexico. 

Annatto is also a key ingredient in the drink tascalate from Chiapas, Mexico. 
In the Philippines, Annatto is used for the sauce of pancit. 
In Guam, Annatto is used to make a staple rice dish flavored with annatto, onion, garlic, butter, and other spices.

Industrial food coloring of Annatto:
Annatto is commonly used to impart a yellow or orange color to many industrialized and semi-industrialized foods, including cheese, ice cream, bakery products, desserts, fruit fillings, yogurt, butter, oils, margarines, processed cheese, and fat-based products.
In the United States, annatto extract is listed as a color additive "exempt from certification" and is informally considered to be a natural coloring. 
Foods colored with annatto may declare the coloring in the statement of ingredients as "colored with annatto" or "annatto color."
In the European Union, Annatto is identified by the E number E160b.

Cheese
In cheese, the yellow and orange hues naturally vary throughout the year as the cow's feed changed: in the summer, with fresh grass and Annatto natural carotene content, the milk produced would have a natural orange tint, as would the cheese made from Annatto, while at other times of the year, the tint would be greatly reduced. 
As the pigment is carried in the cream, skimming the milk, which some farmers did to make butter or to sell Annatto separately, the lesser-quality cheese from such milk would be white.

To fool the consumer, the cheesemakers introduced colorants to imitate the more intense colors of the finer summer cheese. 
Initially these colors came from saffron, marigold, and carrot juice, but later annatto began being used.

In the 17th century, the Dutch, who had established colonies in Guyana, traded in food, particularly an orange-red natural colorant, annatto, with the indigenous communities. 
Zeeland traders under the authority of the West India Company bought annatto from the inhabitants of the coastal regions of Guyana and Suriname and sold Annatto in the Netherlands as verw ('paint'). 
One contemporaneous description comes from Adriaen van Berkel, in a book published in 1695, though he does not mention whether Annatto was used in cheese.
The earliest known documentation of annatto's use in cheese is in a 1743 Dutch volume Huishoudelyk Woordboek (Household Word Book), according to American scientist Paul Kindstedt of the University of Vermont. 
Other historical documents from the period confirm that using annatto (then called "orleaan" or "orleans") to color cheese was being done by the mid-18th century.

England is another country that has used annatto to color their cheeses; colorants had been added to Gloucester cheese as early as the 16th century to allow inferior cheese to masquerade as the best Double Gloucester, with annatto later being used for that purpose. 
This usage was subsequently adopted in other parts of the UK, for cheeses such as Cheshire and Red Leicester, as well as colored Cheddar made in Scotland.
Many cheddars are produced in both white and red (orange) varieties, the only difference between the two being the presence of annatto as a coloring.
That practice has extended to many modern processed cheese products, such as American cheese and Velveeta. 
Cheeses from other countries also use annatto, including Mimolette from France and Leyden from the Netherlands.

Cheeses that use annatto in at least some preparations include:
Cheddar (UK)
Cheshire (UK)
Colby (U.S.)
Gloucester (UK)
Leyden (Netherlands)
Livarot (France)
Mimolette (France)
Mont des Cats (France)
Muenster (U.S.)
Red Leicester (UK)
Saint Paulin (France)
Shropshire Blue (UK)

Tribal and non-medicinal uses of Annatto:
In tribal cultures, annatto seeds have a range of non-medicinal uses. 
For the ancient Mayans and Aztecs, annatto was regarded as a symbolic substitute for blood and therefore had sacred connotations – many of the ancient Mayan scriptures were written in annatto juice. 

Indigenous people still use the pulp mixed with oil for cosmetic purposes: as a hair dye, as lipstick, or to decorate the body. 
When used as body paint, Annatto also repels insects and protects against sunburn due to the UV filtering properties of the carotenoid pigment bixin. 
Annatto seeds are also used throughout the rainforest to create fabric dyes. 
In the western world, annatto is used in the cosmetic industry (for nail gloss, lipstick, soap); annatto oil is an emollient, and Annatto high carotenoid content provides beneficial antioxidant properties. 

In body care products, annatto oil provides antioxidant benefits while adding a rich, sunny colour to creams, lotions and shampoos. 
Annatto is also used in household products such as floor wax, furniture polish and shoe polish. 
In the past, Annatto has been widely used as a fabric dye, giving an orange–red colour; however, due to the lack of colour fastness, Annatto has now been largely replaced by synthetic dyes. 
The dye has also been used to colour wood, rattan and wickerwork.

Traditional medicinal uses of Annatto:
While Annatto is mainly the seeds that are used by indigenous people for non-medicinal purposes, the whole plant is used in traditional medicine. 
Khare (2007) describes the various medicinal properties that have been ascribed to the different parts of the annatto plant. 

The whole plant has astringent, antibilious, antiemetic and blood-purifying properties. 
The young shoots are used as a tea-like drink which is drunk as an aphrodisiac and astringent, and also in cases of fever, dysentery and hepatitis. 
The leaves have a marked effect on the urinary system and increase the volume of urine in cases of renal insufficiency or cystitis; the leaves are used in an infusion in the treatment of diabetes, jaundice and dysentery, and are also used externally for skin problems and to prevent scarring. 
The root and bark are used to reduce fever; the seed pulp is believed to have haemostatic, antidysenteric, diuretic and laxative effects; the fruit is used in cases of dysentery. 

Traditional healers in Colombia also use annatto as antivenom in cases of snakebite. 
Annatto is commonly used in Peruvian herbal medicine today, where the dried leaves are called achiotec and are drunk as a decoction with reported beneficial effects on many different disorders (e.g. prostate problems, arterial hypertension, obesity). 
The decoction is also used externally as an antiseptic and a wound healer.

The uses of annatto vary around the world. 
In Gabon, a leaf decoction is used to stop vomiting while in the Seychelles and Mauritius annatto is added to baths to reduce muscular pain. 
In Ethiopia, the leaves are applied as a wound dressing.

Methods of Manufacturing of Annatto:    
The colorant is prepared by leaching the annatto seeds with an extractant prepared from one or more approved, food-grade materials taken from a list that includes various solvents, edible vegetable oils and fats, and alkaline aqueous and alcoholic solutions. 
Depending on the use intended, the alkaline extracts are often treated with food-grade acids to precipitate the annatto pigments, which in turn may or may not be further purified by recrystallization from an approved solvent.

Annatto B (solvent-extracted bixin): The seeds are extracted with solvent to dissolve the pigment. 
The extract is filtered to remove insoluble material. 
Subsequent processing involves removal of fats and waxes, solvent removal, crystallization and drying.

Annatto C (solvent-extracted norbixin): The seeds are extracted with solvent to dissolve the pigment. 
The extract is filtered to remove insoluble material. 
Subsequent processing involves removal of fats and waxes, removal of the solvent, crystallization and drying. 

Aqueous alkali is added to the resultant powder, which is heated to hydrolyse the pigment and then cooled. 
The aqueous solution is filtered, and acidified to precipitate the norbixin. 
The precipitate is filtered, washed, dried and milled to give a granular powder.

Application of Annatto:
Industrial Application and Potential Industrial Application
Annatto is a natural yellow–orange dye obtained from the plant Bixa orellana, which causes less toxicity and generally exhibits better biodegradability and compatibility with the environment, when compared with synthetic colorants. 
Annatto colorants are used in several ways, extensively in food industry, particularly in dairy  and meat products. 

Annatto preparations are also used in makeup products and in textile industries. 
Nowadays, in the food industry, annatto pigments are used mainly in cheese, dairy products, cereal-derived products, sweets, beverages, sauces, and sausages, representing almost the totality of annatto market. 
The lipid soluble pigments are used in products like margarines, vegetable creams, cheese, and icecream, among others.

The mixture of annatto colorants with other natural colorants increases their applications in foods, for the possibility of producting various color shades. 
Red coloration can be obtained when annatto is mixed with carmine, beet, or anthocyanins. 
The dark coloration is obtained when annatto and chlorophyll are mixed. 
Mixtures such as annatto/carmine, annatto/curcumin and annatto/caramel are common in the food industry. 
Annatto pigments also can be used in medicines (liquids and solids).

In addition to the vast use as a colorant in the food industry, annatto pigment, in Annatto various forms, can be used as an antioxidant, acting in the prevention of lipid peroxidation in food, autoxidation and acting against reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. 
They also have antimicrobial activity. 
In animal feed Annatto has been used in poultry feed composition and to improve the coloration of egg yolk.

Some patents have been registered regarding the development of new technologies for obtaining annatto seed products and processing. 
For example, degreased and solvent-free seeds rich in dye content, obtaining annatto oil fractions rich in δ-tocotrienol, processes using supercritical CO2 technology for dye extraction, bioactive seed compounds and compounds from other annatto plant parts. 
There is also the use of technologies such as microencapsulation and nanoencapsulation, aimed at protecting dyes against hazards such as the presence of light and oxygen, which can increase the range of products in which these may be added. 
Furthermore, one can produce stable dyes that are dispersible in water and which when incorporated, do not alter the texture and taste of the product. 
Annatto can also recover residues from pigment extractions.  

Described a waste recovery method in which, starting with water or organic solvent from the extraction of pigment from annatto seeds, tocotrienol and geranylgeraniol components can be obtained. 
These compounds have antioxidant activity, inhibition action against some types of cancer, hypocholesterolemic action, among others. 
According to Albuquerque and Meireles, in the last few decades 410 patents on the subject were registered, confirming the increased interest in obtaining annatto compounds that can be used not only in the food industry, but also in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industry and in the medical field.

Chemical composition of Annatto:
The yellow to orange color is produced by the chemical compounds bixin and norbixin, which are classified as carotenoids. 
The fat-soluble color in the crude extract is called bixin, which can then be saponified into water-soluble norbixin. 
This dual solubility property of annatto is rare for carotenoids.

The seeds contain 4.5–5.5% pigment, which consists of 70–80% bixin.
Unlike beta-carotene, another well-known carotenoid, annatto-based pigments are not vitamin A precursors.
The more norbixin in an annatto color, the more yellow Annatto is; a higher level of bixin gives Annatto a more orange shade.

Safety of Annatto:
Annatto condiments and colorants are safe for most people when used in food amounts, but they may cause allergic reactions in those who are sensitive. 
In one 1978 study of 61 patients with chronic hives or angioedema, 56 patients were orally provoked by annatto extract during an elimination diet. 
A challenge was performed with a dose equivalent to the amount used in 25 grams (7⁄8 ounce) of butter. 
Twenty-six percent of the patients reacted to this color four hours after intake, worse than synthetic dyes such as amaranth (9%), tartrazine (11%), sunset yellow FCF (17%), allura red AC (16%), ponceau 4R (15%), erythrosine (12%) and brilliant blue FCF (14%).

Annatto is not among the "Big Eight" substances causing hypersensitivity reactions which are responsible for more than 90% of food related allergic reactions.
The US FDA and experts at the Food Allergy Research and Resource Program (FARRP) of the University of Nebraska do not include annatto in the list of major food allergens.

History of Annatto:
Indigeneous to Brazil, South and Central America. 
Annatto is also widely cultivated in Tropical countries such as Mexico, Peru, Indonesia, Ecuador, Kenya, India and East Africa.

The tree of annatto was originated from Brazil. 
Annatto was used for ritual as well as decorative body painting, insect repellent, sunscreen and medical purposes. 
In 16th century, Annatto is used for Mexican manuscript painting.

Traditionally, Annatto is used as a flavoring and coloring agent in Caribbean, Latin America and other countries in 16th centuries which are taken by Portuguese and Spanish explorers. 
Locally Annatto is known as bija, achiote, rocou, kusuwe, koesoewe, atusuete, onoto and colorau.

The annatto tree B. orellana is believed to originate in tropical regions from Mexico to Brazil.
Annatto was probably not initially used as a food additive, but for other purposes such as ritual and decorative body painting (still an important tradition in many Brazilian native tribes, such as the Wari'), sunscreen, and insect repellent, and for medical purposes.
Annatto was used for Mexican manuscript painting in the 16th century.

Annatto has been traditionally used as both a coloring and flavoring agent in various cuisines from Latin America, the Caribbean, the Philippines, and other countries where Annatto was taken home by Spanish and Portuguese colonizers in the 16th century.
Annatto has various local names according to region.
Annatto use has spread in historic times to other parts of the world, and Annatto was incorporated in local culinary traditions of many countries outside the Americas.
Men of the Tsàchila tribe in Ecuador are highly recognizable thanks to their traditional bright orange hair, which is achieved by using crushed seeds of annatto. 
Annatto is believed they have been doing so for centuries.

Scientific classificationedit of Annatto:
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malvales
Family: Bixaceae
Genus: Bixa
Species: B. orellana

Properties of Annatto:
Molecular Weight: 380.5    
XLogP3-AA: 7.2    
Hydrogen Bond Donor Count: 2    
Hydrogen Bond Acceptor Count: 4    
Rotatable Bond Count: 10    
Exact Mass: 380.19875937    
Monoisotopic Mass: 380.19875937
Topological Polar Surface Area: 74.6 Ų    
Heavy Atom Count: 28    
Formal Charge: 0    
Complexity: 740
Isotope Atom Count: 0    
Defined Atom Stereocenter Count: 0    
Undefined Atom Stereocenter Count: 0    
Defined Bond Stereocenter Count: 9    
Undefined Bond Stereocenter Count: 0    
Covalently-Bonded Unit Count: 1    
Compound Is Canonicalized: Yes

Binomial name of Annatto:
Bixa orellana

Synonyms of Annatto:
Annatto
1393-63-1
Natural orange 4
alpha-Norbixin
Annatto pigment
C.I. NATURAL ORANGE 4
UNII-MH1WZE9GBD
626-76-6
MH1WZE9GBD
Annatto Extract Acid Proof
(2E,4E,6E,8E,10E,12E,14E,16Z,18E)-4,8,13,17-tetramethylicosa-2,4,6,8,10,12,14,16,18-nonaenedioic acid
Annatto extract
Annotta extract
Annatto (color)
Annatto coloring dye
FEMA No. 2103
FEMA No. 2104
CCRIS 3651
CI 75120
Annatto seed (Bixa orellana L.)
Annatto extract (Bixa orellana L.)
EINECS 215-735-4
UNII-6PQP1V1B6O
cis-Norbixin
HSDB 7976
annatto seed powder
bixa orellana seed powder
9-Cis-6,6'-diapo-psi,psi-carotenedioic acid
6,6'-Diapo-psi,psi-carotenedioic acid, 9-cis-
6PQP1V1B6O
SCHEMBL340220
CHEMBL1420783
DTXSID60274023
ZINC8582047
NCGC00091523-01
W-108218
Q27284028