# Cochineal (Carmine, E120): The “Yeonji Insect” Red Dye # 연지벌레(코치닐)·카민(E120): 곤충에서 나오는 붉은색의 정체 > CommonSense

# Cochineal (Carmine, E120): The “Yeonji Insect” Red Dye

# 연지벌레(코치닐)·카민(E120): 곤충에서 나오는 붉은색의 정체

---

## English

### 1) What “cochineal / carmine” actually is

* **Cochineal** is a scale insect (mainly ***Dactylopius coccus***) that lives on **prickly pear cactus (Opuntia spp.)**. The insect produces **carminic acid** as a natural defense compound. ([eCFR][1])
* **Cochineal extract** and **carmine** are not identical:

  * **Cochineal extract** = a concentrated extract whose coloring principle is chiefly **carminic acid**. ([eCFR][1])
  * **Carmine** = a “lake pigment” (typically **aluminum** or **calcium-aluminum** complex) made from the same coloring principles, used when you need better handling, dispersion, or stability in certain formulations. ([eCFR][1])
* In food additive terms, this family is widely recognized as **E120** (EU) / **Natural Red 4** (some markets). The modern EU name for E120 is **“Carminic acid, Carmine.”** ([EUR-Lex][2])

### 2) Why Koreans call it “연지벌레”

* In Korean usage, **연지(胭脂)** evokes “rouge / vivid red cosmetic color.” The insect and its dye are commonly rendered as **연지벌레 / 코치닐**, and in Korean food standards you will often see **“코치닐추출색소”** as the additive name. ([KFSRI][3])

### 3) Biology and cultivation (why females matter)

* Commercial production focuses mainly on **female insects**, which accumulate more pigment. They are reared on cactus pads, then collected, dried, and processed. ([ScienceDirect][4])
* Because this is an **insect-derived** ingredient, it is a common point of concern for **vegans/vegetarians**, and sometimes for certain religious dietary rules depending on interpretation and certification practices.

### 4) How the red color is made (process in plain terms)

A typical industrial chain looks like this:

1. **Harvest** insects from cactus → **dry** (reduces water, concentrates solids).
2. **Extraction** (often hot water / controlled pH extraction) to pull out carminic acid. ([ScienceDirect][4])
3. **Separation & purification** (filtration, clarification; protein reduction matters because residual insect proteins can relate to allergenicity concerns). ([ScienceDirect][4])
4. If producing **carmine lake**, precipitate/complex the dye with **aluminum (or calcium-aluminum)** salts to make a stable pigment form. ([eCFR][1])

Key formulation behavior:

* **pH sensitivity**: hue can shift (more orange-red to deeper red) depending on acidity/alkalinity. ([ScienceDirect][4])
* **Heat/light stability** is generally decent compared to some botanical reds, which is one reason it persists in processed foods and cosmetics. ([ScienceDirect][4])

### 5) Where it is used today

* **Foods**: yogurt, confectionery, beverages, processed fruit preparations, etc. (usage is regulated by category and GMP/limits depending on jurisdiction). ([eCFR][1])
* **Cosmetics**: especially **lip products** (classic use), blush, and some eye-area products depending on local rules. ([U.S. Food and Drug Administration][5])
* **Pharma / industrial**: coloring certain drugs and specialty applications. ([eCFR][6])

### 6) Safety: what regulators and science actually say

* **Allergic reactions**: A small subset of people can react—sometimes severely. This is one major reason regulators pushed **clear label declaration**. ([Federal Register][7])
* **JECFA (WHO/FAO)** lists an **ADI of 0–5 mg/kg body weight** for carmines and notes potential allergenicity in some individuals. ([WHO 앱스][8])

### 7) Labeling rules (practical “how to spot it”)

**United States (FDA)**

* If a food contains it, the ingredient list must declare it by the common/usual name **“cochineal extract”** or **“carmine.”** ([U.S. Food and Drug Administration][5])
* The FDA rulemaking explicitly cites severe allergic reactions as the rationale. ([Federal Register][7])

**European Union**

* Ingredient lists generally declare additives as **functional class + specific name or E-number** (e.g., “colour: E120” or “colour: carminic acid, carmine”). ([EUR-Lex][9])
* The EU amended the reference name so that **“E120 Cochineal, carminic acid, carmines”** is replaced by **“E120 Carminic acid, Carmine”**, applicable from **23 Oct 2019**—which is why you may see less “cochineal” wording on EU labels. ([EUR-Lex][2])

**Korea (MFDS practice)**

* You will encounter the additive name **코치닐추출색소**, and Korea’s standards include **category-based restrictions** (i.e., some foods where it should not be used). ([식품안전나라][10])

### 8) High-value tips & applications (no fluff)

**For consumers**

* Watch for synonyms: **carmine**, **cochineal extract**, **carminic acid**, **E120**, **CI Natural Red 4** (cosmetics), and Korean **코치닐추출색소/연지벌레색소**. ([U.S. Food and Drug Administration][5])
* If you have a history of unexplained reactions to pink/red foods (strawberry-looking yogurts, red candies) or certain lip products, cochineal/carmine is a credible “check first” candidate because regulators explicitly treat it as an allergen-relevant colorant. ([U.S. Food and Drug Administration][11])

**For product developers (food/cosmetics)**

* Decide **extract vs lake pigment** based on your matrix: liquids often like extracts; lipsticks and solid color cosmetics often benefit from lake/pigment behavior. ([eCFR][1])
* Manage **pH and heat exposure** (extended high-temperature processing can alter color intensity). ([ScienceDirect][4])
* Treat **labeling** as a design constraint from day one (US name-declaration is strict; EU naming conventions differ; Korea has its own standards). ([U.S. Food and Drug Administration][5])

---

## 한국어

### 1) “코치닐/카민(E120)”은 정확히 무엇인가

* **코치닐(cochineal)**은 선인장(가시배선인장, **Opuntia spp.**)에 붙어 사는 깍지벌레류 곤충(주로 ***Dactylopius coccus***)이며, 몸 안에 **카민산(carminic acid)**을 고농도로 축적합니다. ([eCFR][1])
* **코치닐추출색소**와 **카민(carmine)**은 같은 계열이지만 형태가 다릅니다.

  * **코치닐추출색소**: 코치닐에서 추출한 농축액(주요 성분 카민산). ([eCFR][1])
  * **카민(carmine)**: 카민산을 **알루미늄/칼슘-알루미늄** 등과 결합시켜 만든 “레이크(lake) 안료” 형태. ([eCFR][1])
* 유럽 식품첨가물 코드로는 **E120**이며, EU에서의 공식 명칭은 **“Carminic acid, Carmine”**으로 정리되어 있습니다. ([EUR-Lex][2])

### 2) 왜 “연지벌레”라고 부르나

* **연지(胭脂)**는 전통적으로 “붉은 화장/루주” 느낌의 단어로 쓰이며, 코치닐을 **연지벌레/코치닐**로 부르기도 합니다. 국내에서는 식품첨가물 명칭으로 **“코치닐추출색소”**를 흔히 봅니다. ([KFSRI][3])

### 3) 생태·사육: 왜 ‘암컷’이 중심인가

* 산업적으로는 **색소가 많은 암컷**을 중심으로 선인장 위에서 사육·채집합니다. 이후 건조하여 원료화합니다. ([ScienceDirect][4])
* “곤충 유래”이므로 **비건/채식**, 일부 종교 규정(해석·인증에 따라 다름)에서 이슈가 될 수 있습니다.

### 4) 붉은색이 만들어지는 과정(핵심만)

1. 선인장에서 곤충 **채집 → 건조**
2. **추출(온수/조건 제어)**로 카민산 회수 ([ScienceDirect][4])
3. **여과·정제**(잔류 단백질 관리가 알레르기 이슈와 연결될 수 있음) ([ScienceDirect][4])
4. **카민(레이크 안료)** 제조 시 알루미늄(또는 칼슘-알루미늄)과 결합시켜 침전/안료화 ([eCFR][1])

특성:

* **pH에 따라 색조가 달라질 수 있음** ([ScienceDirect][4])
* 비교적 **열·빛 안정성이 좋아** 가공식품/화장품에서 꾸준히 쓰입니다. ([ScienceDirect][4])

### 5) 어디에 쓰이나

* **식품**: 유제품(요거트 등), 과자/캔디, 음료, 과일가공품 등(국가별로 허용 범위·기준 상이). ([eCFR][1])
* **화장품**: 립 제품에서 대표적이며, 일부 제품군에서 색상 구현에 유리합니다. ([U.S. Food and Drug Administration][5])
* **의약/기타**: 의약품 착색 등. ([eCFR][6])

### 6) 안전성 포인트(과장 없이)

* 일부 사람에게 **알레르기 반응**(드물지만 중증 사례 포함)이 보고되어, 명확한 표시가 중요해졌습니다. ([Federal Register][7])
* WHO/FAO JECFA는 카민류에 대해 **ADI 0–5 mg/kg 체중**을 제시하며, 특정 개인에서 알레르기 유발 가능성을 언급합니다. ([WHO 앱스][8])

### 7) 표시(라벨)에서 확인하는 법

* **미국**: 식품 성분표에 **“cochineal extract”** 또는 **“carmine”**으로 반드시 표시. ([U.S. Food and Drug Administration][5])
* **EU**: 통상 “기능명 + 고유명/ E번호” 방식(예: “colour: E120”). ([EUR-Lex][9])

  * 그리고 EU는 **2019-10-23부터** E120 명칭을 **“Carminic acid, Carmine”**으로 정리해 “cochineal” 표기가 줄어드는 흐름이 생겼습니다. ([EUR-Lex][2])
* **한국**: **코치닐추출색소**로 확인하며, **일부 식품군 사용 제한** 등 기준이 존재합니다. ([식품안전나라][10])

### 8) 실전 팁(응용 포함)

* 성분표에서 찾을 키워드: **코치닐추출색소 / 카민 / 카민산 / E120 / CI Natural Red 4** ([U.S. Food and Drug Administration][5])
* 붉은색 가공식품(특히 “딸기색” 느낌의 제품)이나 립 제품에서 원인불명 반응이 있었던 경우, 규제기관이 알레르기 관점에서 별도 표시를 요구하는 성분이므로 우선 점검 대상이 됩니다. ([U.S. Food and Drug Administration][11])

---

## 日本語

### 1) コチニール／カルミン（E120）とは

* **コチニール**はサボテン（**Opuntia**）に寄生するカイガラムシ類（主に ***Dactylopius coccus***）で、体内に**カルミン酸**を多く含みます。 ([eCFR][1])
* **コチニール抽出物**（cochineal extract）と**カルミン**（carmine）は形態が異なります。前者は抽出濃縮液、後者はアルミニウム等で“レーキ化”した色素です。 ([eCFR][1])

### 2) 製造の概要

* 乾燥原料 → 熱水等で抽出 → 濾過・精製 →（必要に応じ）アルミニウムでレーキ化、という流れが基本です。 ([ScienceDirect][4])

### 3) 用途

* 食品、化粧品（特にリップ系）、一部医薬品の着色など。 ([eCFR][1])

### 4) 安全性・表示

* 一部でアレルギー反応が報告され、**表示の明確化**が重視されています。JECFAはADI **0–5 mg/kg 体重**を示し、アレルギー可能性に言及しています。 ([WHO 앱스][8])
* 米国では成分として **“cochineal extract”** または **“carmine”** の名称表示が必要です。 ([U.S. Food and Drug Administration][5])
* EUでは“着色料（colour）: 名称またはE番号”の形式が基本で、E120の名称は **2019-10-23から「Carminic acid, Carmine」**に整理されています。 ([EUR-Lex][9])

---

## Español

### 1) Qué es la cochinilla / carmín (E120)

* La **cochinilla** (principalmente ***Dactylopius coccus***) es un insecto que vive sobre cactus **Opuntia** y cuyo principio colorante es el **ácido carmínico**. ([eCFR][1])
* **Extracto de cochinilla** = extracto concentrado; **carmín** = pigmento tipo “laca/lake” (complejos con aluminio/calcio-aluminio). ([eCFR][1])

### 2) Cómo se produce (resumen técnico)

* Secado del insecto → extracción (agua/calor/pH controlado) → filtración/purificación → posible “lake” con sales metálicas. ([ScienceDirect][4])

### 3) Usos y puntos críticos

* Usado en **alimentos** y **cosmética** (muy típico en labiales), además de aplicaciones farmacéuticas. ([eCFR][1])
* Puede provocar **reacciones alérgicas** en algunas personas; JECFA fija un ADI **0–5 mg/kg peso corporal** y menciona la posible alergenicidad. ([WHO 앱스][8])

### 4) Etiquetado (para identificarlo)

* **EE. UU.**: debe declararse como **“cochineal extract”** o **“carmine”**. ([U.S. Food and Drug Administration][5])
* **UE**: suele aparecer como “**colour: E120**” o “colour: carminic acid, carmine”; desde **23/10/2019** el nombre oficial se consolidó como **“Carminic acid, Carmine.”** ([EUR-Lex][9])

---

## Français

### 1) Cochenille / carmin (E120) : définition

* La **cochenille** (surtout ***Dactylopius coccus***) est un insecte vivant sur les cactus **Opuntia** ; le principe colorant est l’**acide carminique**. ([eCFR][1])
* **Extrait de cochenille** = extrait concentré ; **carmin** = pigment “lake” (complexes à base d’aluminium, etc.). ([eCFR][1])

### 2) Fabrication (vue d’ensemble)

* Séchage → extraction (souvent aqueuse, paramètres contrôlés) → séparation/purification → éventuelle précipitation en lake pigment. ([ScienceDirect][4])

### 3) Usages et sécurité

* Utilisé en **alimentation**, **cosmétique** (rouges à lèvres), et certaines applications pharmaceutiques. ([eCFR][1])
* Des **réactions allergiques** ont été rapportées chez une minorité ; JECFA indique un ADI **0–5 mg/kg p.c.** et mentionne la possible allergénicité. ([WHO 앱스][8])

### 4) Étiquetage (comment le repérer)

* **États-Unis** : déclaration obligatoire par le nom **“cochineal extract”** ou **“carmine”** dans la liste d’ingrédients. ([U.S. Food and Drug Administration][5])
* **Union européenne** : mention du type “**colorant : E120**” (ou nom spécifique) ; la dénomination E120 a été harmonisée en **“Carminic acid, Carmine”** applicable à partir du **23/10/2019**. ([EUR-Lex][9])

[1]: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-A/part-73?utm_source=chatgpt.com "21 CFR Part 73 -- Listing of Color Additives Exempt from ..."
[2]: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2018/1472/oj/eng?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Regulation - 2018/1472 - EN - EUR-Lex - European Union"
[3]: https://www.kfsri.or.kr/02_infor/infor_reading.asp?idx=94&utm_source=chatgpt.com "한국식품안전연구원"
[4]: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0308814611017730 "Natural dyes extraction from cochineal (Dactylopius coccus). New extraction methods - ScienceDirect"
[5]: https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents/small-entity-compliance-guide-declaration-name-label-all-foods-and-cosmetic-products-contain?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Declaration by Name on the Label of All Foods and ..."
[6]: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-A/part-73/subpart-B/section-73.1100?utm_source=chatgpt.com "21 CFR 73.1100 -- Cochineal extract; carmine."
[7]: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2009/01/05/E8-31253/listing-of-color-additives-exempt-from-certification-food-drug-and-cosmetic-labeling-cochineal?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Listing of Color Additives Exempt From Certification; Food ..."
[8]: https://apps.who.int/food-additives-contaminants-jecfa-database/Home/Chemical/1508 "
        WHO | JECFA
    "
[9]: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ%3AL%3A2011%3A304%3A0018%3A0063%3Aen%3APDF&utm_source=chatgpt.com "Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of the European Parliament ..."
[10]: https://www.foodsafetykorea.go.kr/upload/residue/2-2-5.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com "5. 품목별 사용기준"
[11]: https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-food-labeling-and-critical-foods/food-allergies?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Food Allergies"