The Science of Spice

114 Spice Profiles

Region of cultivation

Annatto is native to the Caribbean and

tropical South America. It is also cultivated

in the Philippines, Sri Lanka, India, Africa,

and Asia.

Powder

Ground annatto has

a fainter aroma and

milder flavour, but

is easier to use and

yields colour faster

than whole seeds.

The powder has a

shelf-life of one year.

BOTANICAL NAME

Bixa orellana

ALSO KNOWN AS

Achiote, bijol, lipstick tree, roucou, urucu.

MAIN FLAVOUR COMPOUND

Germacrene.

PARTS USED

Seeds.

METHOD OF CULTIVATION

Seed pods are harvested when ripe pods

have split to reveal the triangular seeds.

COMMERCIAL PREPARATION

The ripe pods are dried, then beaten with

sticks to remove the seeds, and finally

carefully winnowed by hand or machine.

NON-CULINARY USES

Fabric dye; colouring agent in cosmetics

and medications; in traditional South

American and Ayurvedic medicine.

PERU

COLOMBIA

CARIBBEAN ISLANDS

ECUADOR

VENEZUELA

BOLIVIA

BRAZIL

ANNATTO

Peppery | Earthy | Sweet

Whole

The angular seeds are too hard to

grind without a very powerful blender,

and should be removed before

serving. Store for up to three years.

This New World spice, sometimes

called “poor man’s saffron”, has been

used as a natural dye for centuries.

The Mayan Indians of Central America

made a red paste from the brightly

coloured seeds to paint on their bodies

in preparation for battle. Annatto was

also used by early Aztec civilizations as

a ceremonial pigment, and apparently

as a means of protecting the skin from

sunburn. The Aztecs added annatto to

hot drinks to colour their mouths red

• hence the common name “lipstick
  tree.” By the 17th century, this spice
  had arrived in Europe and was being
  used as a food colouring agent. It
  subsequently became a popular means
  of giving cheese and smoked fish
  products an attractive golden-orange
  colour – a practice that continues
  to this day.

Spice story

Seeds are

bright red in

colour and

yield a vivid

orange-

yellow dye

The plant

Annatto is a tropical

evergreen shrub or

small tree in the

achiote family.

Heart-shaped

glossy leaves with

reddish veins

Each prickly red

fruit capsule

contains about 50

seeds, covered in

red waxy pulp

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