Paprika

Description

A red powder made from dried and ground red peppers (Capsicum annuum) native to the Americas. While primarily known as a spice, paprika is also a natural dye that produces soft orange to red-brown colors when applied to natural fabrics like cotton, silk, or wool. It works best when simmered into a dye bath and requires a mordant like vinegar to fix the color. The color tends to be pale but very lightfast. In recent years, the natural xanthophylls extracted from Capsicum fruit have become an important economical source of red pigments that can replace carcinogenic synthetic red dyes.

Synonyms and Related Terms

Natural Red 34; CI 73133; capsanthin; capsorubin; capsicum red

Physical and Chemical Properties

• Nontoxic with good stability
• Composition = C40H56O3 (capsanthin)
• CAS = 465-42-9
• Melting Point = 181 C

Resources and Citations

• Wikipedia: Paprika Accessed April 2026
• Wikipedia: Capsanthin Accessed April 2026