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Annatto

Annatto is a plant-derived coloring and seasoning used to impart yellow-orange color and mild earthy flavor to foods.

Annatto — illustrative ingredient image

About Annatto

Annatto is a seasoning and food-colouring ingredient made from the seeds of the achiote plant. The seeds impart yellow, orange, or reddish colour along with a mild earthy, slightly peppery flavour. Annatto is used in spice blends, rice dishes, stews, sauces, cheeses, and cooking oils.

Its flavour is mild, earthy, and slightly peppery. Whole seeds are generally infused so their colour and flavour pass into oil or a cooked preparation, while ground powder remains dispersed and contributes more directly to the dish.

The seeds are small, hard, and red to orange-red. Annatto may be sold as whole seeds, ground powder, infused oil, or a prepared extract, with colour and flavour varying by form and processing. Commercial products can be intended primarily as colouring or as a combined colour-and-seasoning ingredient.

Ingredient type
seasoning

Forms & related ingredients

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Where annatto appears

18 linked foods

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Ingredient connections awaiting review · Coverage is still growing, including packaged snacks.

Name examples awaiting language review. Confirm the specific food or product.

Local names for annatto

Names and romanised forms to recognise on menus and labels.

English

annatto

English

Annatto seeds

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

Available names only. Languages may be spoken in other countries; a name alone does not identify every ingredient in a dish.

Annatto nutrition & diet

Annatto nutritional value

Dried annatto (achiote) seeds — INCAP 10017, semilla de achiote, grano

Per 100 g of the edible dried seeds, per 100 g.

Calories
388kcal
Protein
11.3g
Carbs
74.9g
Fat
5.3g

Whole dried seed reference. These values do not describe annatto extract, infused oil, achiote paste or a seasoning blend. If seeds are removed after infusing oil, do not count the whole seed weight as eaten. Carbohydrate follows the source table total-carbohydrate convention.

Portions & preparation

Use the specified annatto form and the amount actually incorporated: whole seeds, ground spice, extract, or oil infusion are not interchangeable reference items. If used to color rice, meat, or a sauce, assess the finished preparation separately because accompanying ingredients can dominate the portion.

Compare the right form: Match references to annatto seed, ground annatto, annatto extract, or annatto-infused oil; the named form must correspond exactly.

Diet considerations

Achiote, also called annatto, is plant-derived when it contains only annatto material. Commercial colorants and seasoning products may include carriers or additional spices, while prepared dishes may add meat, seafood, dairy, or cereal ingredients. Compatibility therefore depends on the product label and the complete recipe.

AI-authored reading notes · Awaiting editorial review. Measured values, where available, have a separate source above.

Dietary compatibility

  • Vegan
    Typically compatible
  • Vegetarian
    Typically compatible
  • Pescatarian
    Typically compatible
  • Keto
    Not established
  • Paleo
    May be compatible
  • Low-carb
    Not established
  • Halal
    Not established
  • Kosher
    Not established
What these diet assessments mean
Vegan · Typically compatible
The plain ingredient profile is plant, fungal or mineral based. Added ingredients in a prepared product need a separate check.
Vegetarian · Typically compatible
The plain ingredient profile is plant, fungal or mineral based. Added ingredients in a prepared product need a separate check.
Pescatarian · Typically compatible
The plain ingredient profile is plant, fungal or mineral based. Added ingredients in a prepared product need a separate check.
Keto · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Paleo · May be compatible
May fit a paleo pattern, depending on the cut or form, processing and added ingredients.
Low-carb · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Halal · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish halal status.
Kosher · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish kosher status.

For the plain ingredient · Awaiting review. Diet compatibility is not allergy suitability or halal/kosher certification. Keto and low-carb depend on the portion.

Reviewed ingredient entryIngredient reference · Preparations vary

AI-generated illustration for visual context. It does not identify a particular product or establish allergen content.

Sources & review

Nutrition reference: INCAP food composition table — dried achiote seeds (10017) ↗. Values are scaled from 100 g of the recorded edible form. Individual portions have no assumed fixed weight.

Expanded overview, name examples and nutrition notes are database drafts awaiting editorial review. Numeric nutrition values, where shown, have their own source and food-form reference.

The ingredient description and dish connections come from the draft catalogue and may change after review.

Last recorded verification: .