Starwest's nitrogen-flushed double-wall silverfoil pack. Annatto seeds are covered with a reddish aril which is the source of an orange-yellow dye. Throughout the Amazonian rainforest, the indigenous tribes have used annatto seeds as a body paint and as a fabric dye. Although the seed paste or seed oil are primarily used today, the rainforest tribes use the entire plant for medicine as well as craft. The ancient Mayans used Annatto as a principal coloring agent in foods, body paints and for arts, crafts and murals. The original Aztec drinking chocolate contained Annatto, the high fat content of which would have thickend the drink, as well as colored it. Traditionally, the crushed seeds are soaked in water and then the water evaporated to make a brightly colored paste. This tasteless paste is then added to soups, cheeses and other foods to give it a bright yellow or orange color. The Spanish introduced annatto to the Philippines. Filipino cooks usually fry them gently in a little oil so that the oil takes on a bright red color. This oil is then used to cook paella and other rice dishes. Vietnamese batters and curries are often prepared with annatto oil to achieve a more attractive color. Vietnamese varieties of Beijing duck use annatto oil to color the bird's skin. In China, annatto seeds are occasionally contained in seasonings or marinades for grilled or fried meats, resulting in a bright orange meat surface.

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