E120 is a food additive that is used as a red coloring substance in various food products. It is also known as carmine, cochineal, or carminic acid. E120 is obtained from the bodies of some female insects living on plant surfaces in Peru, America, and the Canary Islands. For example, Dactylopius coccus, or Cochineal, is widely used for the production of carmine. The females are collected before they lay their eggs, which is when their color turns red. Insect shells are cleaned from the inside, dried, and treated with a solution of ammonia or sodium carbonate to produce carminic acid, which is then used to make E120. Although E120 is of natural origin, there is no scientific evidence of any benefit of carmine at the moment. E120 is mainly used in fish and meat processing, dairy and confectionery industries, for alcoholic and soft beverages, and in cosmetic products such as eye shadow and lipstick.