INS 162 is beet red, also called betanin or beetroot red. It is a natural red-pink colour extracted from red beetroot (Beta vulgaris). On Indian packs it shows up in pink yogurt drinks, strawberry-style mithai, ice cream, and some jelly and candy lines as a clean-label alternative to synthetic reds. It is generally vegan and is permitted by FSSAI for specified food categories.
INS 162 is beet red, also called betanin or beetroot red. It is a natural red-pink colour extracted from red beetroot (Beta vulgaris). On Indian packs it shows up in pink yogurt drinks, strawberry-style mithai, ice cream, and some jelly and candy lines as a clean-label alternative to synthetic reds.
Brands use it because beet red gives a deep pink-red shade from a familiar kitchen vegetable, which suits the clean-label segment where consumers want to recognise where the colour came from. It works well in cold and refrigerated products (dairy drinks, yogurt, ice cream, mithai fillings) but fades faster than synthetic reds under heat and bright light, so it is less common in baked goods where Ponceau 4R or Allura Red still dominate.
INS 162 commonly shows up on Indian packets in these categories:
Beet red is extracted from red beetroot by pressing and concentration of the juice, with optional drying to a powder. No animal product is used in its manufacture.
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. JECFA specifications limit nitrate content (beetroot naturally contains some nitrate); this matters for foods specifically formulated for infants and young children, where total dietary nitrate exposure is separately limited.
JECFA: ADI 'not specified' for beet red, finalised at the 31st JECFA (1987), meaning JECFA did not consider a numerical limit necessary at expected use levels. The 31st JECFA noted that nitrate (a natural component of beetroot, carried into beet red extract) must be controlled to the JECFA specification limit, particularly relevant for foods intended for infants and young children. Earlier JECFA evaluations (18th meeting 1974, 22nd 1978, 26th 1982, 28th 1984) cycled between 'not specified' and 'no ADI allocated' status while specifications were being refined; the 31st JECFA settled on 'not specified' with the nitrate specification in place.
On packets, in recipes, and in conversation, INS 162 is also called:
Last verified: 2026-05-12.
This page covers INS 162 one additive at a time. To check a full packet's ingredient list against the same FSSAI / JECFA / EFSA-cited dataset, use the Indian Food Ingredient Checker - paste the whole list and get a per-item verdict plus a composite tone (clear / watch / flag / incomplete).