Why the score varies
This ingredient is made commercially by more than one route, and ISO 16128 scores the feedstock actually used. Without a supplier certificate of origin the value cannot be claimed.
| Route | Feedstock | NOI | Share | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| petrochemical total synthesis | petrochemical carotenoid intermediates | 0.00 | majority, dominant commercial route | |
| microbial/algal fermentation or extraction | pigmented fungi, algae or bacteria | 1.00 | minority |
How we scored it
Where it comes from
Most commercial canthaxanthin is produced by total synthesis from petrochemical intermediates (similar to synthetic beta-carotene routes). A smaller natural-origin supply is produced by fermentation or extraction from pigmented fungi, algae or bacteria.
In plain English
An orange-red carotenoid pigment, found naturally in some mushrooms and algae but usually made by chemical synthesis for commercial use. Used as a colourant in cosmetic products.
Structure
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
References
- 1ISO 16128-1:2016 and ISO 16128-2:2017 — Guidelines on technical definitions and criteria for natural and organic cosmetic ingredients and products. ISO, Geneva.
- 2Canthaxanthin. PubChem CID 5281227. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
- 3CANTHAXANTHIN. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
- 4Canthaxanthin. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=Canthaxanthin