Origin
E 161g is synthetically produced through a chemical process. This process results in a brownish-red powder that is not soluble in water.
Usage
The colorant E 161g is most well-known for its use in a French sausage specialty, the Saucisses de Strasbourg. Additionally, Canthaxanthin is added to poultry feed to color egg yolks yellow. Furthermore, it is often mixed into fish food to turn regular trout into salmon trout.
Risks
Canthaxanthin is the only carotenoid that cannot be converted into provitamin A in the body. The use of E 161g is controversial. It is suspected of causing liver damage. Moreover, it can cause eye damage and was therefore banned as an additive in browning agents. However, according to recent studies from 2011, it seems disproven that E 161g is responsible for causing eye damage in the form of so-called golden vision.