Annatto is a natural dye which is collected from the pulp of the seeds of the achiote tree. The color is orange-red. It is used sometimes in cheese making to achieve an orange color.

Throughout the year, the availability of green grasses for grazing fluctuates. Because of this, with some cheeses, a mark of quality and seasonality was the orange pigment of a milk made with a diet high in green grasses. Because of this, some producers add dyes to their cheeses—including annatto— to achieve the same color throughout the year.