{
  "$schema": "https://foodadditiveindex.com/api/v1/schema.json",
  "id": "https://foodadditiveindex.com/additives/astaxanthin",
  "slug": "astaxanthin",
  "name": "Astaxanthin",
  "identifiers": {
    "e_number": null,
    "ins_number": null,
    "cas_number": "472-61-7",
    "inchikey": "MQZIGYBFDRPAKN-UWFIBFSHSA-N",
    "pubchem_cid": 5281224
  },
  "functional_class": null,
  "summary": "Astaxanthin is the pink-red carotenoid that gives salmon, trout and shrimp their colour. Most of it is used in aquaculture feed rather than added to food directly: farmed salmon are pale without it.",
  "derivation_summary": "Produced by chemical synthesis, by fermentation with the yeast Phaffia rhodozyma, or extracted from the alga Haematococcus pluvialis. Codex and the FDA list these routes separately because their specifications differ.",
  "regulatory_status": [
    {
      "jurisdiction": "US",
      "jurisdiction_name": "United States",
      "authority": "Food and Drug Administration",
      "status": "permitted",
      "status_label": "Permitted",
      "provision_count": 1,
      "provisions": [
        {
          "status": "permitted",
          "food_category": null,
          "max_level": null,
          "max_level_unit": null,
          "conditions": null,
          "effective_from": null,
          "citation": {
            "ref": "21 CFR 73.35",
            "url": "https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-73.35"
          },
          "source": "ecfr",
          "retrieved_at": "2026-09-07T18:25:51.549Z"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "jurisdiction": "CODEX",
      "jurisdiction_name": "Codex Alimentarius",
      "authority": "Codex Alimentarius Commission / JECFA",
      "status": "not_listed",
      "status_label": "Not listed",
      "note": "Does not appear on this jurisdiction’s permitted list. That is not the same as being prohibited.",
      "provision_count": 0,
      "provisions": []
    }
  ],
  "names": [
    {
      "name": "472-61-7",
      "type": "cas",
      "source": "openfoodtox"
    },
    {
      "name": "(3S,3'S)-3,3'-DIHYDROXY-.BETA.,.BETA.-CAROTENE-4,4'-DIONE",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "(3S,3'S)-3,3'-Dihydroxy-beta,beta-carotene-4,4'-dione",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "(3S,3'S)-all-trans-Astaxanthin",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "(3S,3'S)-Astaxanthin",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": ".beta.,.beta.-Carotene-4,4'-dione, 3,3'-dihydroxy-, (3S,3'S)-",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": ".beta.-Carotene-4,4'-dione, 3,3'-dihydroxy-, all-trans-",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "3,3'-Dhydroxy-4,4'-diketo-b-carotene",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "3,3'-Dihydroxy-.beta.,.beta.-carotene-4,4'-dione, (3S,3'S)-",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "3,3'-DIHYDROXY-4,4'-DIKETO-.BETA.-CAROTENE",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "3,3'-dihydroxy-4,4'-diketo-beta,beta-carotene",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "3,3'-DIHYDROXY-B,B-CAROTENE-4,4'-DIONE",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "3,3'-Dihydroxy-beta,beta-carotene-4,4'-dione, (3S,3'S)-",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "3,3'-Dihydroxy-beta-carotene-4,4'-dione",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "3,3’-Dihydroxy-β,β-carotene-4,4’-dione",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "openfoodtox"
    },
    {
      "name": "3S,3'S-Astaxanthin",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "8XPW32PR7I",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "all-trans-(3S,3'S)-astaxanthin",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "all-trans-3,3'-dihydroxy-b-Carotene-4,4'-dione (8CI)",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "all-trans-3,3'-dihydroxy-beta-Carotene-4,4'-dione (8CI)",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "all-trans-Astaxanthin",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "all-trans-Astaxanthin, analytical standard",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "AstaREAL",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Astaxanthin",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "openfoodtox"
    },
    {
      "name": "Astaxanthin (6CI)",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Astaxanthin (Standard)",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Astaxanthin - 95%",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Astaxanthin Oil 10%",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Astaxanthin(3,3-Dihydroxy-Beta,Beta-Carotene-4,4-Dione)",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Astaxanthin, (3S,3'S)-",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Astaxanthin, 5% active",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Astaxanthin, >=98% (HPLC)",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Astaxanthin, all-trans-",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Astaxanthin, all-trans-, (3S,3'S)-",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Astaxanthin, |?-Carotene-4,4'-dione, trans-Astaxanthin",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Astaxanthine",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "astaxantin",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "beta,beta-Carotene-4,4'-dione, 3,3'-dihydroxy-, (3S,3'S)-",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "beta-Carotene-4,4'-dione",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "BioAstin",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "BioAstin oleoresin",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Carophyll Pink",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "CCRIS 7118",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "E9AI950EAH",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "HSDB 7468",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Lucantin Pink",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Natupink",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Ovoester",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "openfoodtox"
    },
    {
      "name": "trans-Astaxanthi",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "trans-Astaxanthin",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "E161J",
      "type": "e_number",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "(6S)-6-hydroxy-3-[(1E,3E,5E,7E,9E,11E,13E,15E,17E)-18-[(4S)-4-hydroxy-2, 6,6-trimethyl-3-oxocyclohexen-1-yl]-3,7,12,16-tetramethyloctadeca-1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15,17-nonaenyl]-2,4,4-trimethylcyclohex-2-en-1-one",
      "type": "iupac",
      "source": "openfoodtox"
    },
    {
      "name": "(6S,6'S)-3,3'-((1E,3E,5E,7E,9E,11E,13E,15E,17E)-3,7,12,16-tetramethyloctadeca-1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15,17-nonaene-1,18-diyl)bis(6-hydroxy-2,4,4-trimethylcyclohex-2-en-1-one)",
      "type": "iupac",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "(6S,6'S)-3,3'-((1E,3E,5E,7E,9E,11E,13E,15E,17E)-3,7,12,16-tetramethyloctadeca-1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15,17-nonaene-1,18-diyl)bis(6-hydroxy-2,4,4-trimethylcyclohex-2-enone)",
      "type": "iupac",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Astaxanthin",
      "type": "label",
      "source": "ecfr"
    }
  ],
  "hazard_reference_values": [
    {
      "type": "ADI",
      "value": 0.034,
      "value_text": null,
      "unit": "mg/kg bw",
      "population": "consumers",
      "assessing_body": "EFSA FEEDAP",
      "year": 2014,
      "opinion": {
        "ref": "doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2014.3724",
        "url": "https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2014.3724"
      }
    },
    {
      "type": "ADI",
      "value": 0.034,
      "value_text": null,
      "unit": "mg/kg bw/day",
      "population": "consumers",
      "assessing_body": "EFSA FEEDAP",
      "year": 2014,
      "opinion": {
        "ref": "doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2014.3725",
        "url": "https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2014.3725"
      }
    },
    {
      "type": "ADI",
      "value": 0.2,
      "value_text": null,
      "unit": "mg/kg bw",
      "population": "adults",
      "assessing_body": "EFSA",
      "year": null,
      "opinion": null
    },
    {
      "type": "ADI",
      "value": 0.2,
      "value_text": null,
      "unit": "mg/kg bw",
      "population": "children",
      "assessing_body": "EFSA",
      "year": null,
      "opinion": null
    },
    {
      "type": "ADI",
      "value": 0.2,
      "value_text": null,
      "unit": "mg/kg bw",
      "population": "infants",
      "assessing_body": "EFSA",
      "year": null,
      "opinion": null
    }
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "key": "ecfr",
      "name": "Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21",
      "publisher": "U.S. Government Publishing Office / National Archives",
      "licence": "Public domain",
      "url": "https://www.ecfr.gov/api/versioner/v1/full/2026-08-31/title-21.xml",
      "retrieved_at": "2026-09-07T18:25:51.549Z"
    }
  ],
  "citation_policy": "Cite as: Food Additive Index, \"Astaxanthin\", https://foodadditiveindex.com/additives/astaxanthin. This site reports regulatory status and does not rate additives.",
  "generated_at": "2026-09-08T00:09:38.425Z"
}