Canthaxanthin is a red-orange colored carotenoid. Canthaxanthin is nontoxic in moderate dosages and is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) as a food coloring agent. Many people consume canthaxanthin orally to gain a tanned appearance without suffering the potential harm from strong sunlight.

Large doses of canthaxanthin have caused crystalline deposits in the retina of the eye. However, these do not appear to cause any harm and slowly disappear when canthaxanthin intake is terminated.