Carthamin
Encyclopedia
Carthamin is a natural red pigment derived from safflower (Carthamus tinctorius), earlier known as carthamine. It is used as a dye and a food coloring. As a food additive
, it is known as Natural Red 26.
Safflower has been cultivated since ancient times, and carthamin was used as a dye in ancient Egypt
. It was used extensively in the past for dyeing wool for the carpet industry in European countries and to create cosmetics for geisha
and kabuki
artists in Japan, where the color is called beni (紅). It competed with the early synthetic dye fuchsine
as a silk dye after fuchsine's 1859 discovery.
It is composed of two chalconoid
s; the conjugated bonds being the cause of the red color. It is derived from precarthamin by a decarboxylase. It should not be confused with carthamidin, another flavonoid.
Food additive
Food additives are substances added to food to preserve flavor or enhance its taste and appearance.Some additives have been used for centuries; for example, preserving food by pickling , salting, as with bacon, preserving sweets or using sulfur dioxide as in some wines...
, it is known as Natural Red 26.
Safflower has been cultivated since ancient times, and carthamin was used as a dye in ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...
. It was used extensively in the past for dyeing wool for the carpet industry in European countries and to create cosmetics for geisha
Geisha
, Geiko or Geigi are traditional, female Japanese entertainers whose skills include performing various Japanese arts such as classical music and dance.-Terms:...
and kabuki
Kabuki
is classical Japanese dance-drama. Kabuki theatre is known for the stylization of its drama and for the elaborate make-up worn by some of its performers.The individual kanji characters, from left to right, mean sing , dance , and skill...
artists in Japan, where the color is called beni (紅). It competed with the early synthetic dye fuchsine
Fuchsine
Fuchsine or rosaniline hydrochloride is a magenta dye with chemical formula C20H19N3·HCl. There are other similar chemical formulations of products sold as fuchsine, and several dozen other synonyms of this molecule....
as a silk dye after fuchsine's 1859 discovery.
It is composed of two chalconoid
Chalconoid
Chalconoids, also known as chalcones, are natural phenols related to chalcone. They form the central core for a variety of important biological compounds. They show antibacterial, antifungal, antitumor and anti-inflammatory properties...
s; the conjugated bonds being the cause of the red color. It is derived from precarthamin by a decarboxylase. It should not be confused with carthamidin, another flavonoid.