Revised procedures for the certification of carmine (C.I. 75470, Natural red 4) as a biological stain

What is it about?

Carmine, a dyestuff derived from cochineal, is one of the oldest microscopical stains and is still used in diagnostic histopathology. The Biological Stain Commission's tests for carmine have been extended to ensure that a Certified product will be genuine carmine, not carminic acid or 4-aminocarminic acid. Spectrophotometric criteria for dye content of carmine powder are also established.

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Why is it important?

Certification by the BSC, which is a not-for-profit company, provides independent third-party validation of dye powders used in microscopy and other biological staining applications.