Annatto

High school (ages 12+)
Food & Cooking

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/annatto

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific name?Bixa orellana
2. What is the primary pigments?Bixin and norbixin (carotenoids)
3. What is annatto and where does it come from?Annatto is a seed from the achiote tree, found in tropical and subtropical parts of the Americas. It gives foods bright yellow to red-orange colors and a mild nutty taste.
4. Why do people use annatto in food?Annatto colors foods naturally and adds a subtle nutty, peppery flavor. It is a natural alternative to synthetic dyes like Yellow 5 and Red 40.

Carotenoids: A class of natural pigments responsible for yellow, orange, and red colors in plants, including annatto's vibrant hues.
Hydrolysis: A chemical reaction where water is used to break down a compound, such as bixin into norbixin in annatto processing.
Clean Label: Refers to food products with ingredients that consumers recognize and perceive as natural and simple.
Food Matrix: The physical and chemical structure of a food product that influences how ingredients like colorants behave.