Paprika oleoresin
Paprika oleoresin suppliers and sourcing guide
Paprika oleoresin is the oily red-orange extract of dried paprika peppers, Capsicum annuum, made by solvent extraction followed by solvent removal. Its color comes from carotenoids, chiefly capsanthin and capsorubin, and it may carry some pungency and paprika flavor. Suppliers sell it by color value, as oil-soluble oleoresin, water-dispersible emulsions and powders, for meats, sauces, snacks and seasonings.
- Category
- Colors
- Also known as
- Paprika extract · Capsicum annuum · Capsanthin · E160c
- Facts checked
- November 2026
Forms and grades of paprika oleoresin
Suppliers sell different products under the same name. Specify the one you need.
Oil-soluble oleoresin
Viscous oleoresin standardized with vegetable oil to a stated color value, for fat-based and oil-dispersed uses.
Water-dispersible
Oleoresin emulsified with polysorbate or other emulsifiers so it disperses in brines, sauces and drinks.
Powder
Oleoresin plated or encapsulated on a carrier for dry seasonings and coatings.
Low-pungency or deodorized
Grades with reduced capsaicinoids or flavor for uses where only color is wanted.
What to check on the COA
Compare each result with your own specification when the lot arrives.
- Color value
- Color value in ASTA units or color units by spectrophotometry, the basis for dose and price.
- Capsaicinoids
- Pungency by HPLC (reported as capsaicin or Scoville heat units), to confirm low-heat grades.
- Residual solvents
- Residual extraction solvents by GC, against the limits for spice oleoresins.
- Heavy metals
- Lead, arsenic and mercury by ICP-MS, reported against the limits in the color additive regulation and the supplier specification.
- Pesticide residues
- Multi-residue pesticide screen by LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS, since dried peppers can carry residues.
- Microbiology
- Total plate count, yeast and mold, and pathogens, mainly for powder and water-dispersible grades.
Storage, lots and expiry
Storage and shelf life
Paprika color fades with light, heat and oxygen, so store oleoresin sealed, cool and dark, ideally with headspace kept small or flushed with nitrogen. Warm the drum gently and mix before sampling because the oleoresin is viscous and can stratify. Shelf life is set by the supplier, with color value retested on older stock.
Lots and expiry dates
Color value and pungency vary with pepper variety and crop, so record both for every lot and adjust dose by color value. Rotate first-expired, first-out because color value drops over time.
Regulatory status
Facts from regulators and standards bodies, each linked to its source.
21 CFR 73.345 lists paprika oleoresin, extracted from paprika (Capsicum annuum L.), as a color additive for coloring foods generally, exempt from certification.
Source: ecfr.gov (opens in a new tab)21 CFR 73.345 limits residues of extraction solvents to the levels permitted for the same solvents in spice oleoresins.
Source: ecfr.gov (opens in a new tab)21 CFR 182.20 lists paprika (Capsicum annuum L.) among essential oils, oleoresins (solvent-free) and natural extractives generally recognized as safe for their intended use.
Source: ecfr.gov (opens in a new tab)
This is general information, not regulatory advice. Status differs by country and by how the ingredient is used, so check the rules for your product and market.
Paprika oleoresin suppliers
Manufacturers and distributors whose own websites say they sell it.
We are checking paprika oleoresin suppliers now
Every listing is checked against the supplier’s own website before it goes live, so this list fills in over the coming weeks. The specs and COA checklist above are ready today.
Sell paprika oleoresin? Request a listingFrequently asked questions
What forms of paprika oleoresin can brands buy?
Common forms include oil-soluble oleoresin, water-dispersible, powder and low-pungency or deodorized. Ask each supplier for the specification sheet of the exact grade they quote.
What should the COA for paprika oleoresin include?
Expect color value, capsaicinoids, residual solvents, heavy metals, pesticide residues and microbiology, each with its method, specification and result for that lot.
How should paprika oleoresin be stored?
Paprika color fades with light, heat and oxygen, so store oleoresin sealed, cool and dark, ideally with headspace kept small or flushed with nitrogen. Warm the drum gently and mix before sampling because the oleoresin is viscous and can stratify. Shelf life is set by the supplier, with color value retested on older stock.
What is the regulatory status of paprika oleoresin?
21 CFR 73.345 lists paprika oleoresin, extracted from paprika (Capsicum annuum L.), as a color additive for coloring foods generally, exempt from certification. 21 CFR 73.345 limits residues of extraction solvents to the levels permitted for the same solvents in spice oleoresins. 21 CFR 182.20 lists paprika (Capsicum annuum L.) among essential oils, oleoresins (solvent-free) and natural extractives generally recognized as safe for their intended use.
More colors
- AnnattoAnnatto extract · Bixa orellana
- Caramel colorCaramel · E150a
- Turmeric oleoresinTurmeric extract · Curcuma longa
- Carmine (cochineal)Cochineal extract · Carminic acid
- Spirulina extract (color)Phycocyanin · Arthrospira platensis extract
- Vegetable juice colorVegetable juice (color) · Coloring foodstuff
- Fruit juice colorFruit juice (color) · Coloring foodstuff
- Butterfly pea flower extractClitoria ternatea extract · Blue pea flower extract
- Beet juice colorBeet red · Beetroot red
- Grape skin extractEnocianina · Grape skin extract (enocianina)
- Carrot oilDaucus carota oil · Carrot oleoresin
- Sodium copper chlorophyllinChlorophyllin-copper complex · Copper chlorophyllin
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