Allevi, P., Anastasia, M., Bingham, S.J., Ciuffreda, P., Fiecchi, A., Cighetti, G., Muir, M., & Tyman, J. 1998 Synthesis of carminic acid, the colourant principle of cochineal.. Journal of the Chemical Society-Perkin Transactions 1: 575-582.

Notes: The first synthesis of carminic acid is described, obtained from the dried bodies of females of the scale insect species Dactylopius coccus which feeds on wild cacti, Opuntia spp. and Nopallea coccinellifera indigenous to Peru, Mexico and the Canary Islands.