Cochineal (Dactylopius coccus)

Description

Cochineal (Dactylopius coccus) Cochenille (NL)
Dyes: Pink-Red-Purple
Grand-teint
Pickling dye

Cochineal is an animal dye. These dried female Cochenille scale lice have been cultivated for centuries to extract a precious crimson dye. The lice live on the disc cactus in Central and South America and the Canary Islands. It is the eggs of the female Cochenille louse that contain the powerful crimson dye. Carmin accid is the colouring ingredient.
Cochineal is used not only for dyeing wool and fabrics, but also as a dye for food, medicines and cosmetics.
By adjusting the acidity of the dye bath and using different mordants, cochineal dyes a wide palette of colours, from pink to deep red to purple.

Facts
Cochineal…
… gives the deep pink colour to the famous pink cakes.

This is one of the natural dye products described in the book Eco-verf by Anja Schrik.