As a subject matter expert in the field of pigments and dyes, I can provide you with an accurate description of how carmine is made.

Carmine is a red pigment that is derived from the cochineal scale insect, specifically Dactylopius coccus. The process of making carmine involves several steps:


1. Harvesting: The cochineal insects are harvested from the prickly pear cactus, where they live and feed.

2. Drying: The insects are dried to remove moisture.

3. Crushing: The dried insects are then crushed into a fine powder.

4. Extraction: The carmine color is extracted from the crushed insects using a solvent, often water or an alcohol-based solution.

5. Refining: The extracted liquid is then filtered and refined to remove any impurities.

6. Concentration: The pigment is concentrated by evaporating the solvent, resulting in a more potent carmine dye.
7.
Alumination: To improve the pigment's stability and lightfastness, it is often treated with a metal salt, such as aluminum sulfate, a process known as alumination.

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The Truth About Red Food Dye Made from Bugs. ... There, the insects are sun-dried, crushed, and dunked in an acidic alcohol solution to produce carminic acid, the pigment that eventually becomes carmine or cochineal extract, depending on processing.read more >>