drying cochineal female insects, which reduces the weight by 70 % Between 80 000 and 150 000 insects are required to produce 1 kg of dried cochineal. (The principal pigment) in cochineal is carminic acid, being very soluble in water. Good quality raw cochineal can reach 18 to 22 % of insect dry weight Current major usages of cochineal and its derivates are in the food, drug and cosmetics, textilies, industries, and as biological stains. Carminic acid.
Carminic acid, extracted from cochineal, h