E160a (INS 160a) stands for carotenes, mainly beta-carotene, the yellow-orange pigment of carrots, sweet potatoes, palm fruit and many other plants. Several forms share the number: beta-carotene made by chemical synthesis, carotenes extracted from plants, and beta-carotene produced by a fungus (Blakeslea trispora) or by algae. Sub-numbers such as 160a(i) or 160a(ii) on a label tell them apart.
Carotenes dissolve in fat, not water, so for cakes and creams they are supplied as emulsions or fine powders. They give shades from pale yellow to orange, a natural fit for banana, egg, cheese or citrus products. Beta-carotene is also a provitamin A, though the amount used for colour is small.
On SeekSnack, Color (E160a) is listed in the Shoei Tokyo Sweet Banana Gift Box, a banana-flavoured cake from Japan.
