Is Carmine (E120) vegan?
Not vegan
No — carmine is a red dye made from crushed cochineal insects.
Also listed as: cochineal, carminic acid, natural red 4, E120
Key facts
- Verdict
- Not vegan
- Category
- Additive
- Also listed as
- cochineal, carminic acid, natural red 4, E120
- Best swap
- Beetroot powder
Why
Around 70,000 cochineal insects are boiled and dried for a single kilo of carmine. It colours sweets, yoghurts, juices, lipsticks and some alcoholic drinks.
What to check on the label
- E120, carmine, cochineal, natural red 4
- Pink and red yoghurts and sweets
- Red lipsticks and blushers
Swap it for
Beetroot powderLycopeneAnthocyanin from purple carrot
Questions people ask
Is carmine the same as carmoisine?
No. Carmoisine (E122) is a synthetic azo dye and contains no insects, though it may be animal-tested.
Which products still use carmine?
Some strawberry yoghurts, cured meats, aperitifs, sweets and a large share of red cosmetics.
More additive checks
Reviewed 2026-09-16 by the Veg.ac editorial team · Free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 with a link back.