Violaxanthin
An orange pigment found in many plants and used as a food colouring in some countries
No single value: Violaxanthin is a material, and its colour varies. The background shows its family, orange.
Violaxanthin is an orange pigment from the xanthophyll group, present in various plants. It forms when zeaxanthin reacts with oxygen during strong sunlight. Used as a food colouring (E161e), it is permitted in Australia and New Zealand but not in the EU or US.
- Violaxanthin gives an orange colour to many plants
- It is made when zeaxanthin reacts with oxygen in strong sunlight
- Used as food colouring E161e in Australia and New Zealand
- Not permitted as a food additive in the EU or United States
- Part of the violaxanthin cycle in plants
What colour is Violaxanthin?
Violaxanthin is a plant pigment that gives an orange colour. It belongs to the xanthophyll group, which are yellow to orange pigments found in many plants. Its colour is distinct from the deeper yellow of zeaxanthin and the green of chlorophyll. Violaxanthin appears when plants are exposed to very strong sunlight.
Where does Violaxanthin come from?
The name 'violaxanthin' comes from its chemical structure as a xanthophyll, a type of pigment found in plants. It is produced in plants when zeaxanthin, another pigment, takes up oxygen atoms during periods of intense sunlight. This process helps plants manage excess light.
How is Violaxanthin made?
Violaxanthin forms naturally in plants through a reaction where zeaxanthin gains oxygen atoms. This happens when plants face high levels of sunlight, creating reactive oxygen species that add to the pigment. Chemically, it is made up of carbon and oxygen.
Where Violaxanthin is used
This pigment is used as a colouring agent in food, identified by the codes E161e and INS 161e. While it is permitted for food use in Australia and New Zealand, it is not allowed as a food additive in the European Union or the United States.
Orange around the world
What the orange family means from country to country.
The lowest band of the flag is orange, often called apricot, after the national fruit. The constitution says it stands for the creative talent and hard work of the people.
Politics and protestNature and renewalPrideSource: Flag of ArmeniaThe flag is split corner to corner. The orange half stands for the Buddhist tradition, and the white dragon across the middle for purity.
Sacred and holySource: Flag of BhutanOn 30 September people wear orange shirts to remember the children sent to residential schools. Phyllis Webstad's new orange shirt was taken from her on her first day at one.
Mourning and deathPolitics and protestGriefSource: National Day for Truth and ReconciliationOrange is also the colour of the New Democratic Party. Its sweep of Quebec seats in the 2011 election was called the Orange Wave.
Politics and protestSource: New Democratic PartyThe flag shows the island in copper orange on white. The colour recalls copper, which was mined here in ancient times and may have taken its name from Cyprus.
Politics and protestNature and renewalSource: Flag of CyprusThe orange stripe of the flag stands for Protestants, the followers of William of Orange. In Northern Ireland the Orange Order still marches each 12 July in orange sashes.
Politics and protestSource: Orange OrderShades and relatives of Violaxanthin
Violaxanthin is closely related to zeaxanthin, which has a more yellow tone. Both are part of the xanthophyll family, but violaxanthin stands out for its orange shade. It also plays a role in the violaxanthin cycle within plants.
Questions people ask about Violaxanthin
What colour is violaxanthin?
Violaxanthin is an orange pigment found in many plants, giving them a distinct orange shade.
Where does the name violaxanthin come from?
The name refers to its place in the xanthophyll group of plant pigments, which are yellow to orange in colour.
How is violaxanthin made in plants?
It forms when zeaxanthin, another plant pigment, takes up oxygen atoms during periods of intense sunlight.
Can violaxanthin be used in food?
It is used as a food colouring (E161e) in Australia and New Zealand, but not allowed in the EU or United States.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Violaxanthin", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Rang rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. The swatch is an approximation: named colours are not fixed standards, and every screen shows them a little differently. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
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