Is E161j Kosher?

Not kosher


Description: Astaxanthin (food colouring)

Function: food colouring

Rationale: OU Kosher's own coloring article notes astaxanthin is commonly a by-product of lobster/shrimp shell processing (in addition to synthetic and algal sources), so reliable certification is needed rather than a blanket all_year status.

If you don't see a status above, it does not mean the additive is not kosher automatically - it might just not be documented in our database yet.