Carmine
Carmine ( or ), also called
crimson lake or
carmine lake,
cochineal,
natural red 4,
C.I. 75470, or
E120, is a
pigment of a bright-
red color obtained from the aluminium salt of
carminic acid; it is also a general term for a particularly
deep-red color of the same name. The pigment is produced from some
scale insects such as the
cochineal scale and certain
Porphyrophora species (
Armenian cochineal and
Polish cochineal). Carmine is used in the manufacture of artificial flowers, paints,
crimson ink, rouge, and other cosmetics, and is routinely added to food products such as
yogurt,
candy and certain brands of juice, the most notable ones being those of the ruby-red variety.