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Identificación: 2692Creado: 2002-05-28 13:21Modificado: 2003-04-02 14:18Refreshed: 2010-03-09 14:41 
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Documento(s) 4 de 18
Future outlook Prerequisites Potential users Contact Resources IntroductionPeru is the major supplier of carmine dye, a natural, red colouring agent derived from the cochineal insect. The dye is used in foods, drugs, and cosmetics. As a result of global restrictions on artificial colorants in food and other consumer items (many synthetic red dyes are now prohibited in the United States), Peru enjoys a considerable advantage in the world market, supplying 80% of the world's cochineal — about 40% as a dye and 60%ininsect form.The Peruvian government wants to increase the processing of carmine dye in Peru, given that cochineal insects are plentiful, rural people are experienced in harvesting the insects from the prickly pear cactus, and extraction techniques are comparatively simple. By locating processing plants close to cochineal production areas, rural industry and local employment can be encouraged. Currently cochineal "farmers" only earn an estimated 10% of the revenue generated from cochineal processing. An estimated 50 000 people harvest the insects by hand, dry them in the sun, and sell them through intermediaries to carmine processors in Lima. Peru's Instituto de Investigacion Tecnologica Industrial y de Normas Tecnicas (ITINTEC), and the Simon Fraser University have worked together to improve the carmine dye extraction process, providing a 23% yield of 62% pure carmine. (Other commercial processes result in 20-23% yields of 52% pure carmine.) A pilot production plant with a capacity to produce 5 kg of carmine per day has been constructed.Extracting carmine powder from the insects involves boiling the insects in water, followed by filtration, precipitation, and washing and drying the final product. PrerequisitesAccess to cochineal and markets for the red dye. Cochineal grow on prickly pear cacti in the Andean region and in general in very dry regions.Potential usersCochineal exporters and producers as well as current producers of carmine interested in improving yield.ContactDr. Pierre Zaya, Senior ScientistInternational Development Research Centre PO Box 8500 Ottawa,Ontario, CANADA K1G 3H9 Tel: (613) 236-6163, ext. 2538 Fax: (613) 567-7749 E-mail: Pzaya@idrc.ca Web site: http://www.idrc.ca Barbara León Dr. A. C. Oehlschlager ResourcesIn the IDRC library:Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC. 1992. Final technical report / Carmine Production from Cochineal (Peru) II s.l. : s.n. 1 v. in various pagings : ill. PROJECT NO: 87-1021 (Final report) lan: E date: 1992 isn:94238 statc: RCMPL astat: COMPL location: ARCHIV 547.975(85) S 5 MFICHE IDRC-Lib-94238
Documento(s) 4 de 18
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