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Annatto Seeds

Commonly known as annatto seed in the States, the correct term for the seeds of an annatto tree is achiote seeds. Native to South America, they have been used to color food and cosmetics. These seeds have a peppermint scent and a slightly peppery taste with just a hint of bitterness.

Annatto seeds have been used as a dye for fabrics and body paint since pre-Columbian times.

The seeds can be ground and added to soups and stews or made into a paste to be spread on fish or pork before grilling. It's a tough process to work with annatto, as the dried seeds are very hard and quite difficult to grind.

To make paste:
Cover seeds with water and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderate heat for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for a couple of hours. Drain and pat dry using a paper towel so as to not stain a clothe one. Transfer to a mortar and pestle or spice grinder and grind to a paste.

The amount of product in the jar you receive is considered the net weight. We have provided that net weight after the jar size, ex: Small glass jar (net 1.25oz). To give you a better understanding of the jar size, see the fluid ounce measurements below.
  • The small glass bottles hold 2 fluid ounces. The plastic lids have a flip top with a small pour spout.
  • Medium glass bottles hold 4 fluid ounces. The plastic lids have a split flip top. One side has a larger opening and the other side is a shaker.
  • Large glass bottles hold 12 fluid ounces. The plastic lids have a split flip top. On side has a larger opening and the other side is a shaker.
All bottles meet FDA requirements for food applications and are 100% recyclable. You can purchase all of our bottles from the Containers section of Spice Ware on this website.

Purchase in bottles:

Medium glass
(net 3.00 oz)

$3.25

Once you have bought bottles from us, you can then purchase refills for those bottles. This saves you money by not having to buy the jar again and reducing the shipping weight. Choose from the three bottle sizes and you will receive a bag containing the correct amount of product to fill your bottle at home. The bags are sealable and will be labeled with the product name, uses, and ingredients if applicable. The bags meet FDA requirements for food applications. They are 100% recyclable and can be put in with all other plastics recycled at home.

Purchase bottle refills (in bags):

Medium glass refill
(net 3.00 oz)

$2.25

Annatto Seeds are native to South America and Brazil is the main exporter.


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