From
Carib annoto tree producing
annatto; the Span. word
achiote, see below, is derived from the Náhuatl
achíotl
Annatto is a
yellowish
red dyestuff made from the
pulp around the
seeds of a tropical tree (
Bixa orellana, family
Bixaceae). In the period before
Columbus' arrival in the New World, the dye was used to decorate the human body. Today the
color is extracted from the seeds by lightly frying them in oil, customarily
lard, and then discarding the seeds. In
Puerto Rico it is called
achiote and it is used to add a pleasing color to food. It also lends a slight
nutty flavor to foods. The colored oil can be purchased in stores where it is called
achiotina.