INS 161b is lutein, a yellow-orange natural colour extracted from the petals of marigold flowers (Tagetes erecta). On Indian packs it shows up as a clean-label yellow colour in pasta, some dairy spreads, yellow snacks and biscuits, and is also the active ingredient in eye-health supplements sold separately. It is generally vegan and is permitted by FSSAI for specified food categories.
INS 161b is lutein, a yellow-orange natural colour extracted from the petals of marigold flowers (Tagetes erecta). On Indian packs it shows up as a clean-label yellow colour in pasta, some dairy spreads, yellow snacks and biscuits, and is also the active ingredient in eye-health supplements sold separately.
Brands use it because lutein gives a warm yellow-to-orange shade from a recognisable flower source, which suits the clean-label segment where consumers prefer plant-based colours over synthetic tartrazine (INS 102) or sunset yellow (INS 110). Lutein is reasonably stable in dry products and in fats but less stable than synthetic yellows in acidic or strongly heated conditions, so brands match the colour choice to the recipe. The same lutein extract is sold separately as a dietary supplement for eye health, where it is the active ingredient rather than a colour additive.
INS 161b commonly shows up on Indian packets in these categories:
Lutein is extracted from the petals of marigold flowers (Tagetes erecta, the Aztec marigold; widely cultivated in India). The petals are dried, hexane-extracted to recover lutein esters, then saponified with potassium hydroxide in methanol or propylene glycol to release free lutein, which is crystallised. Corn endosperm oil and dried algae meal are minor commercial sources. No animal product is used in any of these production routes.
FSSAI: Permitted by FSSAI as a natural food colour under Schedule I of the FSS (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations 2011 for specified food categories with category-specific limits. The FSSAI compendium lists INS 161b lutein under the permitted natural colour list, with sub-codes 161b(i) lutein from Tagetes erecta and 161b(ii) lutein esters from Tagetes erecta covered under the same Schedule I provision. Tagetes erecta marigold is the dominant commercial source. (The 2024 FSSAI Active List of Processing Aids cross-references lutein in a supplemental context for processing-aid use that is distinct from this colour-additive provision.)
JECFA: Group ADI 'not specified' for lutein from Tagetes erecta, lutein esters from Tagetes erecta, and synthetic zeaxanthin, established at the 86th JECFA (2018). This replaced an earlier ADI of 0 to 2 mg per kg of body weight set at the 63rd JECFA (2004); the 2018 update reflects the wider toxicological database that became available between the two evaluations, including absence of toxicity across a range of studies and a margin of exposure of more than 1,500 between the no-observed-adverse-effect level and estimated dietary exposure. EFSA's 2010 re-evaluation of E161b set a separate EU ADI of 1 mg per kg of body weight per day for lutein meeting the specified carotenoid composition (at least 80% carotenoids); the two positions are not contradictory, since EFSA was working from the toxicological data available at the time and JECFA's 2018 review had a wider database.
On packets, in recipes, and in conversation, INS 161b is also called:
Last verified: 2026-05-12.