What E162 actually is
Beetroot Red is simply concentrated beetroot pigment. It gives a clean pink to red in cold and short-shelf-life products. Its limitation is stability: it fades with heat, light, and time, which is why it suits yoghurt and ice cream better than a long-life baked product.
What it is made from
Pressed or extracted from red beetroot. Entirely plant-derived, with no synthesis involved.
Vegan, vegetarian, and halal status
Beetroot Red is plant-derived and suits every dietary requirement. It is the colour to look for when avoiding carmine (E120) on religious or ethical grounds, and it is what most vegan-certified pink products use.
Is E162 safe?
Beetroot Red is permitted in the EU, UK, and US with no numerical intake limit set, which regulators reserve for substances of very low concern. It is a food extract rather than a synthesised chemical. One harmless effect is well documented: beeturia, the pink tinting of urine after eating beetroot, which affects a minority of people and is not a health problem.
- No established health concerns; no intake limit set
- Beeturia, harmless pink urine, occurs in a minority of people
- Fades with heat, light, and time, which limits where it can be used
Where regulators stand
- EFSA (EU)
- Permitted with no numerical acceptable daily intake, the category used for substances of very low concern.
- FDA (US)
- Beet powder and beet juice are exempt from certification as colour additives.
Foods it turns up in
- Yoghurt and dairy desserts
- Ice cream and sorbet
- Sweets and icing
- Meat substitutes, for a raw-looking pink
Names it hides behind
- E162
- Beetroot Red
- Betanin
- Beet red
- Colour (E162)
Common questions
- Is beetroot red vegan?
- Yes. It is extracted from beetroot with no animal involvement, which is why it is the usual substitute for carmine in vegan products.
- Why does my urine go pink?
- Beeturia. A minority of people do not fully break down betanin, so it passes into urine. It is harmless and unrelated to the additive being unsafe.
- Why is beetroot red not used in everything?
- It fades with heat, light, and time. In long-life or baked products it would not survive, which is why more stable colours are used there.
- Is beetroot red natural?
- Yes. It is a plant extract, exempt from colour certification in the US, and permitted in organic food.
- Is it the same as the red in vegan burgers?
- Often yes. Beetroot pigment is commonly used to give meat substitutes a raw-looking pink that fades on cooking.
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.