Annatto Seed Powder

Reliable Annatto Seed Powder Manufacturer & Bulk Supplier

Greenherb operates a certified processing facility specializing in Annatto Seed Powder, a naturally derived colorant ingredient obtained from the dried seeds of Bixa orellana through a controlled physical milling process. Our production system is designed to preserve the naturally occurring bixin and norbixin carotenoid pigments throughout the entire drying and grinding sequence, delivering a versatile plant-based colorant with consistent orange-red pigmentation for food, cosmetic, and personal care formulation applications.

Why Choose Greenherb Annatto Seed Powder

• Whole-Seed Physical Processing – Our powder is produced exclusively through mechanical milling of dried Bixa orellana seeds, with no chemical solvents or thermal extraction involved, resulting in a clean-label ingredient that retains the full seed pigment matrix in its naturally occurring form.
• Dual-Solubility Pigment Profile – The annatto seed naturally contains both bixin, a fat-soluble carotenoid, and norbixin, a water-soluble form, providing formulators with a single colorant source that performs across lipid-based and aqueous system applications.
• Consistent Orange-Red Color Value – Each production batch is assessed against defined color value specifications, ensuring uniform pigment intensity and predictable visual performance across repeat supply orders for food and cosmetic applications.
• Fine Particle Uniformity – Our calibrated milling and sieving process delivers homogeneous particle distribution across specified mesh sizes, optimizing dispersibility in spice blends, seasoning mixes, and dry cosmetic formulations.
• Solvent-Free Clean Label – The purely physical transformation from dried seed to finished powder leaves zero solvent residues, aligning with clean-label standards and supporting straightforward ingredient declaration across regulated markets.
• Heavy Metal Compliance – Dedicated ICP-MS screening verifies that lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury levels meet international food and cosmetic regulatory thresholds, with remediation steps applied where environmental contamination is detected.
• Thermal Stability in Processing – The bixin pigment matrix demonstrates reasonable stability during standard food processing temperatures, maintaining color performance through dry blending, extrusion, and moderate heat applications.
• Export-Ready Documentation – Each shipment includes COA, MSDS, Non-GMO affidavit, allergen declaration, and pesticide residue certificate to support regulatory clearance across international markets.

Certificate of Analysis

Product Introduction

Annatto Seed Powder is a whole-seed natural colorant derived from the dried seeds of Bixa orellana through a purely physical milling process. Known across culinary traditions as achiote annatto powder, this ingredient has a long history of use as a natural orange-red colorant in food preparation and body decoration, with its pigmentation derived from the bixin-rich seed coat that encloses each Bixa orellana seed. The dry powder format retains the complete seed pigment matrix, including both fat-soluble bixin and its water-soluble derivative norbixin, in a concentrated, handling-friendly form that integrates directly into dry seasoning systems, food manufacturing lines, and cosmetic powder blending operations. Its plant origin, physical processing method, and dual-solubility pigment profile make it a technically versatile raw material for formulators seeking a natural, recognizable colorant across multiple application categories.

Production Process

Greenherb employs a tightly controlled physical processing sequence to preserve bixin pigment integrity and ensure microbiological safety from raw material intake to packaged powder:

1. Seed Sourcing & Inspection – Incoming dried Bixa orellana seeds are assessed for botanical identity, color value, moisture content, and microbiological status before release for processing.
2. Cleaning & Destoning – Seeds are mechanically cleaned to remove foreign matter, dust, and non-seed material through air classification and vibrating screen separation.
3. Controlled Drying – Cleaned seeds undergo low-temperature drying to achieve target moisture specification without degrading the heat-sensitive bixin pigment compounds concentrated in the seed coat.
4. Mechanical Milling – Dried seeds are processed through calibrated impact mills under controlled conditions to achieve consistent fine particle size without generating frictional heat that could compromise pigment integrity.
5. Sieving & Classification – Milled powder is screened through defined mesh sizes to achieve the specified particle distribution and remove oversized seed fragments.
6. Blending & Homogenization – Classified powder lots are blended to ensure uniform color value and bixin distribution throughout the production batch.
7. Quality Release Testing – Each lot is tested for color value, moisture, heavy metals, pesticide residues, and microbiological compliance before shipment authorization.
8. Protective Packaging – Finished powder is sealed in double-layer PE inner bags with desiccants, packed within light-proof fiber drums to protect pigment stability during storage and transit.

Functional Properties & Benefits

As a naturally derived plant-based colorant, Annatto Seed Powder offers distinct functional characteristics relevant to diverse formulation requirements:

• Natural Orange-Red Pigmentation – Delivers a vivid, stable orange to deep red color range derived entirely from naturally occurring bixin and norbixin carotenoids, providing a plant-based alternative to synthetic colorants across food, cosmetic, and personal care applications.
• Fat-Soluble Coloring in Lipid Systems – The bixin fraction disperses effectively in oil-based matrices including butter, cheese coatings, and lipid-phase cosmetic formulations, enabling uniform color distribution without additional solubilizers.
• Water-Dispersible Coloring in Aqueous Systems – The norbixin fraction provides water-dispersible coloring functionality in aqueous food systems, beverages, and water-phase cosmetic preparations from a single natural ingredient source.
• Heat Tolerance in Food Processing – Bixin demonstrates stability through standard food manufacturing temperatures including pasteurization, baking, and dry blending, maintaining acceptable color performance in thermally processed applications.
• Clean Label Plant Origin – Physical processing and documented botanical identity place annatto seed powder within recognized natural colorant categories, supporting transparent ingredient labeling in markets where consumers prioritize plant-derived, non-synthetic ingredient sources.
• Skin Tone Enhancement in Cosmetics – The warm orange pigmentation is utilized in cosmetic powder formulations, bronzers, and body products where natural carotenoid-based skin tone enhancement is a formulation objective.

Applications

Annatto Seed Powder is utilized across diverse commercial formulation categories requiring a natural plant-based orange-red colorant:

Food Manufacturing & Seasoning Achiote powder serves as a natural colorant and flavor contributor in cheese coatings, butter coloring, rice seasonings, dry spice blends, marinades, and processed meat products where a stable, heat-tolerant plant-derived orange pigment is required.

Snack Foods & Extruded Products Natural colorant in extruded snack coatings, tortilla chip seasonings, popcorn blends, and flavored cracker systems where annatto-based orange pigmentation delivers an appetizing visual appearance with clean-label declaration.

Dairy & Fat-Based Applications Fat-soluble bixin pigment used in butter, margarine, cheese, and dairy fat coloring systems requiring consistent orange-yellow pigmentation from a recognized natural plant colorant source.

Cosmetics & Personal Care Natural carotenoid colorant in bronzing powders, mineral foundations, body lotions, lip products, and self-tanning formulations where warm orange-red pigmentation from a plant-derived source supports clean beauty and natural cosmetic positioning.

Functional Foods & Culinary Ingredients Incorporated into specialty culinary blends, gourmet seasoning kits, and artisan food ingredient lines where authentic plant-based natural colorants with documented botanical origin differentiate premium product offerings.

Contact Greenherb for Annatto Seed Powder Supply

Greenherb supplies Annatto Seed Powder with verified bixin pigment profiles, backed by comprehensive third-party testing. We offer flexible order quantities ranging from laboratory samples to full container loads. Customized specifications for particle size, color value, and moisture level are available upon request to match your exact formulation and labeling requirements. For immediate assistance, contact our sourcing team directly.

Greenherb – Your Strategic Partner for Botanical Ingredients and Functional Foods.