What E160d actually is
Lycopene is what makes tomatoes and watermelon red. As a colour it gives a red to orange shade, and unlike beetroot red it is fat-soluble and reasonably heat-stable, which suits it to cooked and fatty products. It is also sold as a supplement, where the marketing focuses on antioxidant claims.
What it is made from
Three routes: extraction from tomatoes, fermentation using the fungus Blakeslea trispora, and chemical synthesis. All are used commercially and none involves animal material.
Vegan, vegetarian, and halal status
Lycopene is plant, fungal, or synthetic in origin and never animal, so it suits vegan and halal diets. As with other fat-soluble colours, an encapsulated form may use a carrier that is worth checking separately, though plant-based carriers are the norm.
Is E160d safe?
Lycopene is permitted in the EU, UK, and US. EFSA re-evaluated it in 2008 and set an acceptable daily intake of 0.5 mg per kg of body weight per day, noting that high consumers of both the colour and supplements could approach it. It is the same compound consumed in quantity from tomato products, and cooked tomato is in fact a better source than raw because heat makes it more available.
- The same compound eaten in quantity from tomatoes and tomato products
- EFSA acceptable daily intake of 0.5 mg per kg of body weight per day, with high consumers of colour plus supplements able to approach it
- Very high intake can tint skin orange, a harmless and reversible effect
Where regulators stand
- EFSA (EU)
- Re-evaluated in 2008. Acceptable daily intake of 0.5 mg per kg of body weight per day.
- FDA (US)
- Tomato lycopene extract is exempt from certification as a colour additive.
Foods it turns up in
- Sauces, soups, and ready meals
- Drinks and flavoured water
- Confectionery and desserts
- Supplements
Names it hides behind
- E160d
- Lycopene
- Tomato red
- Colour (E160d)
Common questions
- Is lycopene natural?
- It occurs naturally in tomatoes and watermelon. The additive can be extracted from tomato, produced by fermentation, or synthesised, and the label does not distinguish them.
- Is lycopene vegan and halal?
- Yes. None of the production routes involves animal material. Check the carrier on encapsulated forms if that matters to you.
- Does lycopene have health benefits?
- It is studied as an antioxidant and is a well-known component of tomato products, but no health claim is authorised for the food colour and the amounts used for colour are small.
- Is cooked tomato better than raw for lycopene?
- Yes. Heat and fat make lycopene more available to the body, which is why tomato paste and cooked sauces are better sources than raw tomato.
- What is the difference between lycopene and beetroot red?
- Lycopene is fat-soluble and reasonably heat-stable. Beetroot red is water-soluble and fades with heat, so they suit different products.
Checking a real pack
This page answers the code. The pack in your hand is what decides, because the same code can come from different sources depending on the manufacturer. LabelWise, formerly SafeChoice, scans the label and explains what is in front of you.
LabelWise content is educational and describes how additives are made, regulated, and labelled. It is not medical, dietary, or religious advice. For certification questions, the mark on the pack and the certifying body are the authority.