Curcumin

It is widely used for coloring in food, dishes, pastries, candies, canned beverages, as well as cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

It is an edible yellow pigment. In China, it has a long history of being used in dried radishes, curry powder, etc. In Japan, it is used in pickles, ham, sausages, and candied products of apples, pineapples, and chestnuts.

As a food colorant, it is regulated in China to be used in candies, jellies, ice cream, and carbonated drinks, with a maximum usage level of 0.01g/kg.

It can be used as a feed colorant. In China, it is regulated to be used in candies, jellies, ice cream, and carbonated drinks, with a maximum usage level of 0.01g/kg.

It serves as an acid-base indicator, showing colors from yellow (at pH 7.8) to reddish-brown (at pH 9.2). It is used in color reactions for the determination of beryllium, zirconium, magnesium, borates, and as a reagent. It is a natural phenolic substance, an anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory agent, and possesses antioxidant properties, which can induce apoptosis of cancer cells.