Carminic Acid

Color	Magenta - pink -red
Source	Dried Female Cochineal Insect
Solubility	Water, Mineral Acids, ether, alkali,
Insoluble in	Oils and Fats, alcohol, organic Solvents.
Type	Lake pigment
Stability	Stable in Heat and Light
Storage	Cool Dark Place
Applications	Fruits, yogurts, processed food, cosmetics.
Melting Point	136°C (Decomposes)

Carminic acid has been used as a colorant even in the ancient civilizations be it the Egyptian, or the Maya or the Inca. At one point the worth of this color was more than that of real gold. It is used as a food colorant, a dye and body colorant. Canary Islands and Peru are the major centers for the cultivation of these carminic acid producing insects.

Carminic acid is a glucosidal hydroxyanthrapurin derived from cochineal. The dried cochineal contains 17-24% carminic acid. It is subject to cautious extraction process in acidic, aqueous, alcoholic solution. It is then precipitated as carmine. The chemical designation of carminic acid is 7-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-9,10-dihydro-3,5,6,8-tetrahydroxy-1-methyl-9,10-dioxo- 2-anthracenecarboxylic acid.