Norbixin

Norbixin is the water-soluble pigment that gives annatto, the natural orange colour from the seeds of the tropical shrub Bixa orellana, its colouring power in aqueous foods. Chemically it is a dicarboxylic carotenoid, the demethylated counterpart of bixin, which prefers oil-based systems. Norbixin dissolves readily into cheese, ice cream, bakery products, and beverages, imparting yellow-to-orange hues from a traditional plant source that suits clean-label positioning. Like all carotenoids it is vulnerable to light and oxidation, so formulators protect it in processing and packaging, and specifications control pigment strength and purity within colour-additive regulations.