Carmine
additive ingredient
What is it?
We haven't written a full explanation for this one yet. It's in the additive category and currently poor.
Other names on labels: cochineal, natural red 4
At a glance
- Base score
- -0.6 (from −1 to 1; higher is better)
- Found in
- 1 product
Products containing carmine
Results reflect the latest label we hold for each product, not a live check of today's recipe. Open a product to see its source and last-checked date.
Common questions about carmine
Is Carmine good for dogs?
We grade it as a poor ingredient: typically cheap, vague or of questionable nutritional value, so it drags a product’s score down. One poor ingredient does not make a food bad on its own, but a recipe built from several usually scores low.
How many UK dog foods contain carmine?
1 UK product lists carmine as an ingredient in our database. The full list is shown above, sorted by rating.
What else is carmine called on labels?
Manufacturers list it under several names: cochineal, natural red 4. We match all of these to the same glossary entry when we read a label.
Show 1 more question
How does Open Dog Food grade carmine?
We grade it poor, our lowest grade, used for cheap, vague or low-value ingredients. Every ingredient is converted to its dry-matter share and scored from our glossary before a recipe gets its 1-100 rating; the full method is on our methodology page.