Zeaxanthin
A yellow pigment found in corn, saffron, paprika and many plants
No single value: Zeaxanthin is a material, and its colour varies. The background shows its family, yellow.
Zeaxanthin is a yellow pigment that occurs naturally in many plants and some micro-organisms. It gives colour to foods like corn, paprika and saffron, and is also present in the human eye, where it is found in the retina. The name comes from maize (Zea mays) and the Greek word for yellow.
- Zeaxanthin gives corn and paprika their yellow colour
- It is a carotenoid pigment made by plants and some microbes
- Zeaxanthin is present in the human retina
- Used as a food dye with E number E161h
What colour is Zeaxanthin?
Zeaxanthin is a yellow pigment that appears in many plants and some microbes. It is responsible for the colour of corn, paprika, saffron, and goji berries, among others. In green plants, zeaxanthin is found mostly in the leaves, where it helps manage light during photosynthesis. It is also present in the human eye, especially in the retina.
Where does Zeaxanthin come from?
The name zeaxanthin comes from the scientific name for maize, Zea mays, and the Greek word 'xanthos', meaning yellow. It was named because it is the main yellow pigment in corn. Zeaxanthin belongs to the xanthophyll group of carotenoids, which are natural pigments found in plants.
How is Zeaxanthin made?
Plants and some micro-organisms make zeaxanthin from beta-carotene, a process that involves adding hydroxyl groups to the beta-carotene molecule. This is done by enzymes called beta-carotene hydroxylases. Zeaxanthin can also be produced in bacteria and yeast for commercial purposes. As a food additive, it is known as E161h.
Where Zeaxanthin is used
Zeaxanthin gives colour to foods such as corn, paprika, saffron and goji berries. It is also used as a food dye. In the human body, zeaxanthin is found in the retina and is sometimes taken as a dietary supplement, though its health effects are not confirmed by regulators.
Yellow around the world
What the yellow family means from country to country.
The yellow disc of the Aboriginal flag is the sun, giver of life. The flag was designed by the Luritja artist Harold Thomas and first flown in Adelaide in 1971.
Sacred and holySource: Australian Aboriginal flagAt the gaye holud, held a day or two before a wedding, relatives rub turmeric paste on the bride and groom. Guests dress in yellow and orange.
Weddings and marriageFestival and celebrationJoySource: Gaye holudOn Pohela Falgun, the first day of spring, young women wear yellow and orange saris, a shade called basanti, with flowers in their hair.
Festival and celebrationNature and renewalJoySource: Pohela FalgunThe Flemish flag is a black lion on yellow, and the Walloon flag a red cockerel on yellow. The language communities are often shown by these colours.
Politics and protestPrideSource: Flag of FlandersThe flag is yellow, the colour of the Sultan. By custom, ordinary people did not wear yellow in the ruler's presence.
Royalty and powerPrideSource: Flag of BruneiThe national football team plays in a yellow shirt with green trim, the canarinho. It was chosen in a newspaper contest after the 1950 World Cup final was lost in white.
Festival and celebrationPrideJoySource: Brazil national football teamShades and relatives of Zeaxanthin
Zeaxanthin and lutein have the same chemical formula but differ in the arrangement of their atoms. They are isomers, not stereoisomers. Zeaxanthin has three stereoisomeric forms, with (3R,3′R)-zeaxanthin being the main one found in nature. Lutein and zeaxanthin are often found together in foods and in the eye.
Questions people ask about Zeaxanthin
What colour is zeaxanthin?
Zeaxanthin is a yellow pigment that gives colour to foods like corn, paprika and saffron.
Where does the name zeaxanthin come from?
The name comes from Zea mays, the scientific name for maize, and the Greek word for yellow, 'xanthos'.
What foods contain zeaxanthin?
Zeaxanthin is found in corn, paprika, saffron, goji berries and some orange bell peppers.
Is zeaxanthin used in the human body?
Yes, zeaxanthin is found in the retina of the human eye, often together with lutein.
Is zeaxanthin safe to eat?
No harmful effects have been reported at typical intake levels, and it is used as a food dye.
Good reading and sources
- Zeaxanthin on WikipediaEncyclopedia
- More pictures on Wikimedia CommonsPictures
- Wikidata recordOpen data
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Zeaxanthin", 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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