anatto
/əˈnɑtoʊ/
noun
- A natural orange-red dye or food coloring made from the seeds of a tropical tree, used to color cheese, butter, and other foods.
- She added a pinch of annatto powder to the rice for a golden hue.
- Many natural food companies use annatto instead of artificial dyes.
- The cheese gets its bright orange color from annatto.
- The tropical tree (Bixa orellana) that produces seeds used for this dye.
- The annatto tree grows well in warm, humid climates.
- The bright red pods of the annatto tree contain the seeds used for coloring.
- Farmers in South America have cultivated annatto for centuries.