Annex
United Kingdom
In the Annex to Regulation (EU) No 231/2012 the entry for ‘E 120 Cochineal, Carminic acid, Carmines’ is replaced by the following:
‘
E 120 CARMINIC ACID, CARMINE Synonyms CI Natural Red 4 Definition Carminic acid is obtained from aqueous, aqueous alcoholic or alcoholic extracts from Cochineal, which consists of the dried bodies of the female insect Dactylopius coccus Costa.
Carmines are aluminium lakes of carminic acid in which aluminium and carminic acid are thought to be present in the molar ratio 1:2.
The colouring principle is carminic acid. Minor amounts of its aminated form 4-aminocarminic acid may also be present.
In commercial products the colouring principle carminic acid may be present in association with ammonium, calcium, potassium or sodium cations, singly or in combination, and these cations may also be present in excess. Commercial products may also contain proteinaceous material derived from the source insect.
Colour Index No 75470 Einecs Carminic acid: 215-023-3; carmines: 215-724-4 Chemical name 7-β-D-glucopyranosyl-3,5,6,8-tetrahydroxy-1-methyl-9,10-dioxoanthracene-2-carboxylic acid (carminic acid); carmine is the hydrated aluminium chelate of this acid Chemical formula C22H20O13 (carminic acid) Molecular weight 492,39 (carminic acid) Assay Content not less than 90 % carminic acid; not less than 50 % carminic acid in the chelates. Description Red to dark red, friable, solid or powder Identification Spectrometry Carminic acid:
Maximum in aqueous ammonia solution at ca. 518 nm
Maximum in dilute hydrochloric solution at ca. 494 nm
E 1 %/1 cm 139 at peak around 494 nm in dilute hydrochloric acid
4-aminocarminic acid:
Maximum in aqueous ammonia solution at 535 nm
Maximum in dilute hydrochloric solution at 530 nm
E 1 %/1 cm 260 at peak around 535 nm in aqueous ammonia solution, pH 9,5
In commercial products carminic acid may be differentiated from its amine by HPLC
Purity Solvent residues Ethanol:
Methanol:
Not more than 150 mg/kg
Not more than 50 mg/kg
Total ash Carminic acid:
Carmine:
Not more than 5 %
Not more than 12 %
Protein (N × 6,25) Carminic acid:
Carmine:
Not more than 2,2 %
Not more than 25 %
4-aminocarminic acid Not more than 3 % relative to carminic acid Matter insoluble in dilute ammonia Carmine: Not more than 1 % Arsenic Not more than 1 mg/kg Lead Not more than 1,5 mg/kg Mercury Not more than 0,5 mg/kg Cadmium Not more than 0,1 mg/kg Microbiological criteria Salmonella spp. Absent in 10 g Aluminium lakes of this colour may be used .’