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Annex IV Entry 58 14/08/2020

Canthaxanthin

CI 40850

Canthaxanthin appears in Annex IV as a positive-list colorant entry for EU cosmetics.

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Permitted colorant— Annex IV, EU Regulation 1223/2009
Entry: 58

Chemical identity and properties

PubChem 2D chemical structure for CAS 514-78-3
CAS 514-78-3PubChem CID 5281227

Canthaxanthin

Canthaxanthin is a carotenone that consists of beta,beta-carotene bearing two oxo substituents at positions 4 and 4'. It has a role as a biological pigment, a fungal metabolite, an Escherichia coli metabolite and a food colouring. It derives from a hydride of a beta-carotene. — ChEBI

IUPAC name
2,4,4-trimethyl-3-[(1E,3E,5E,7E,9E,11E,13E,15E,17E)-3,7,12,16-tetramethyl-18-(2,6,6-trimethyl-3-oxocyclohexen-1-yl)octadeca-1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15,17-nonaenyl]cyclohex-2-en-1-one
Molecular formula
C40H52O2
Molecular weight
564.8 g/mol
Exact mass
564.396730897 Da
XLogP3
11.4
Topological polar surface area
34.1 Ų
Hydrogen-bond donors
0
Hydrogen-bond acceptors
2
Covalent units
1
Defined stereocentres
0

Also known as

CanthaxanthineOrobronzeCarophyll RedFood orange 8Roxanthin Red 104,4'-Dioxo-beta-caroteneCI 40850KANTAKISANTIN
16 more reported names
4C3C6403MUNSC-374110INS NO.161GCHEBI:3362INS-161GE-161GCI-(1975)NO.40850RefChem:123250208-187-2beta,beta-Carotene-4,4'-dioneCantaxanthinCantaxanthineL-Orange 7CanthaXanthin, PowderAll-trans-Canthaxanthin4,4'-Diketo-beta-carotene
Open full PubChem recordPubChem annotations3D structure image
External database identifiers

Retrieved from NIH PubChem on 2026-08-31 by checksum-valid CAS matching. Chemical properties do not replace the regulatory decision on this page.

Record details

Warnings

Purity criteria as set out in Commission Directive 95/45/EC (E 161g)

Colour index or glossary

CI 40850

Chemical name

Canthaxanthin

Chemical / IUPAC name

Canthaxanthin

Color

Orange

Regulatory information

Regulation

(EC) 2009/1223

See every entry this act set

Identified ingredients

Key data

CAS
514-78-3
EC
208-187-2
Annex
IV
Entry number
58

Inventory links for Canthaxanthin

Inventory Restriction reference
Ref 32751

CI 40850

CAS: 514-78-3
EC: 208-187-2

Direct matches are limited for this record, so nearby entries from Annex IV are shown as well.

Annex IV 57
Nearby record in the same annex

CI 40825

CAS: 1109-11-1
EC: 214-173-7
Annex IV 56
Nearby record in the same annex

CI 40820

CAS: 1962-15-8
EC: 214-171-6
Annex IV 55
Nearby record in the same annex

CI 40800

CAS: 116-32-5; 31797-85-0; 7235-40-7
EC: 230-636-6
Annex IV 54
Nearby record in the same annex

CI 40215

CAS: 1325-54-8
EC: 215-397-8
Annex IV 62
Nearby record in the same annex

CI 42080

CAS: 3486-30-4
EC: 222-476-0
Annex IV 53
Nearby record in the same annex

CI 28440

CAS: 2519-30-4
EC: 219-746-5
Annex IV 52
Nearby record in the same annex

CI 27755

CAS: 2118-39-0
EC: 218-326-9
Annex IV 64
Nearby record in the same annex

CI 42100

CAS: 4857-81-2
EC: 225-458-0

What Annex IV means for Canthaxanthin

Canthaxanthin is an approved colorant listed in Annex IV of EU Cosmetics Regulation 1223/2009. Only colorants on this positive list may be used to colour cosmetic products on the EU market.

Some colorants in Annex IV are restricted by product type — for example, prohibited from use around the eyes or in products applied to mucous membranes. Check the product type and conditions fields above before use.

This record is linked to 1 CosIng inventory ingredient for name and identifier cross-reference. The page also surfaces 12 related annex records with overlapping identifiers, annex logic or naming patterns.

Compliance checklist

  • Confirm colorant is used only in permitted product types listed above.
  • Record the Colour Index number and CAS identifier in the ingredient declaration.

Frequently asked questions

Yes. Canthaxanthin is included in Annex IV of EU Cosmetics Regulation 1223/2009 as a permitted colorant. Only colorants on this positive list may be used to colour cosmetic products in the EU. Check the product type conditions above for any use restrictions.

CAS 514-78-3 is the unique numerical identifier assigned to Canthaxanthin by the Chemical Abstracts Service. In cosmetic compliance work, the CAS number is used to cross-reference the substance across regulatory databases, raw material specifications and safety assessment reports. Multiple EU annex entries may share the same CAS number if the same substance appears under different conditions or in different annexes.

Use the INCI Checker tool on this site to paste your full ingredient list (INCI) and scan it against all Annex II–VI entries. The tool highlights any ingredients that match restricted, prohibited or allergen-flagged records. This is useful for rapid compliance screening of finished product formulas or raw material declarations.
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Source note for Annex IV record Canthaxanthin

This page summarizes one Annex IV record for Canthaxanthin from public European Commission cosmetic materials and adds linked inventory or identifier matches when available.

Use this record page to review Annex IV conditions for Canthaxanthin, but confirm any final regulatory decision against the current official annex wording and source files.

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