Laccifer lacca Laccaic acids

Lac is derived from lac resin, the hardened secretion of the lac insect, the only known resin of animal origin. The lac insect, Kerria lacca, formerly known as Laccifer lacca, is a natural parasite of a variety of trees in large areas of southern Asia. Three different products are derived from lac resin lac dye, lac wax, and shellac. To obtain the lac resin, twigs encrusted with the secretion of the insects are cut down from the trees, then the incrustation is separated from the twigs, washed with water, and filtered. The wax and shellac, which are insoluble in water, remain as a solid residue of the filtration, while the soluble red dye (lac) is obtained as a powder when the water from the filtered solution is evaporated. The coloring matter in lac dye is an organic compound known as laccaic acid. 

Laccifer lacca Kerr), and is widely used for coloring food. It is known that the red color is derived from a water-soluble pigment including laccaic acids A, B, C, and E. Cochineal color extracted from the dried female bodies of the scale insect (Coccus cacti L.) is water-soluble and has a reddish color. The main coloring component is carmic acid. 

Lac is the scarlet secretion of a number of species of insects of several genera, of which the most commonly cultivated species is Kerria lacca (syn. Laccifer lacca, Kerriidae). The main producers of lac are India and Malaysia. Lac pigment is a complex mixture of laccaic acids (9-177 and 9-178), erythrolaccin and deoxyerythro-laccin (9-179). 

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