Sold by weight. Annatto powder (Bixa orellana L.), India: a/k/a Achiote, Lipstick Tree, Achiote. The red colour is due to several apocarotenoids located in the seed epidermis, of which bixin is the most important. Used as a flavouring and food colouring in cheese, butter, and smoked fish. In the Caribbean, the seeds are usually fried in (animal or vegetable) fat; after discarding the seeds, the then golden-yellow fat is used to fry vegetables or meat. By this procedure, a golden yellow to golden brown colour is achieved. Mexican cooks often use a paste (achiote) of annato seeds with some preservatives (acetic acid) that dissolves completely in hot fat; it is easy to use and can also be added to marinades and sauces to improve the colour. Methods of obtaining color from Annatto seeds: We have seen two recommendations on ratios (a) 1 cup olive oil, _ cup annatto seeds (b) _ cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon annatto seeds. Combine the oil and seeds in a small saucepan. Gently cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. The oil will have a strong red-orange color. Strain oil and store in the refrigerator. For soapmaking: Using annatto powder stirred into the lye water right before adding the oils called for in your recipe you can obtain shades ranging from yellow to orange (add annatto until you like the color of the lye water keeping in mind that the final soap will be about half as dark as the lye water). You may also add annatto powder at trace or when the soap is melted (to avoid specks of undissolved color, it is best to suspend the powder in a little bit of water before adding it to the mix or take out a little bit of the soap mixture and dissolve the powder very well in that mixture). To obtain a lighter color use less annatto powder. Annatto is permanently listed as a cosmetic color additive exempt from certification by the FDA, with no restrictions for cosmetic use.