Database/Colorant/CI 40850
Route-dependent · ISO 16128

Is CI 40850 natural?

It depends. CI 40850 is canthaxanthin, the same carotenoid as the site's Canthaxanthin entry: most is made by chemical synthesis, a minor share by microorganisms.

INCI nameCI 40850
CAS514-78-3
FormulaC40H52O2 · 564.8 Da
FunctionColorant
FeedstockCanthaxanthin from total chemical synthesis or from microbial…

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.

RouteFeedstockNOIShareNotes
microbial or algal biosynthesiscanthaxanthin produced by microalgae or bacteria1.00minorWhole carotenoid biosynthesised.
total chemical synthesiscanthaxanthin built from petrochemical C15/C10 intermediates0.00dominantNo natural carbon.
Ask your supplier. A batch-specific certificate of origin or bio-based carbon test (ASTM D6866) settles which route applies.

How we scored it

Canthaxanthin C40H52O2 564.8 Da. Natural biosynthesis gives 564.8/564.8 = 1.00; the dominant commercial total synthesis gives 0.00. Headline shows the best route, matching the site's Canthaxanthin entry.
What counts. ISO 16128-2 scores the atoms that remain in the final ingredient. Reagents, solvents, catalysts and protecting groups used during manufacture leave no mass behind and are not counted.

Where it comes from

Canthaxanthin from total chemical synthesis or from microbial fermentation.

In plain English

A carotenoid pigment used to add colour. It is most often made by chemical synthesis, though a smaller amount is produced naturally by fermenting bacteria or extracting from algae.

CosIng definition: CI 40850 is classed chemically as a carotenoid colour. It conforms to the formula:

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Structure

2D structure of CI 40850

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

PubChem CID 5281227 ↗

References

  1. 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.
  2. 2CI 40850. PubChem CID 5281227. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3CI 40850. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4CI 40850. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=CI%2040850