From fruits to botanicals: Consumers ditch artificial ingredients in favor of natural color solutions

09 Aug 2023 --- Natural colors are becoming more popular as consumers look for products that are free from artificial and synthetic ingredients. However, natural colors also need to meet high quality, stability and sustainability standards.

Food Ingredients First explores with representatives from ADM, GNT, Givaudan and Sensient Food Colors the trends in the natural colors space and some challenges industry faces. Including the sourcing of ingredients, the importance of clean label and sustainability and exploring the demands of consumers.

Natural color sources
As the industry continues to move away from artificial and synthetic colors, natural color producers support food and beverage manufacturers with quality, stable color solutions derived from natural sources.

ADM has its line of Colors from Nature, a library consisting of solutions using various sources such as fruits, vegetables and other botanicals. 

“Delivering a full rainbow of colors, our Colors from Nature platform provides exceptional stability, made possible through our technologies and ingredient expertise. We lean on our vertically integrated supply chain to ensure we’re involved in each step of our unique approach to developing color solutions,” says Emina Goodman, senior director of colors at ADM.

“This includes breeding, harvesting, washing, pigment extraction and filtration. With our patented technology and know-how, we also further process by implementing concentration, stabilization, deodorization steps and more. From there, our application experts create solutions for our customers that deliver exact target shades and performance in various applications.”

ADM also has a line of proprietary white solutions (PearlEdge) that offers manufacturers a cleaner label alternative to white colorants like titanium dioxide (TiO2).

GNT uses edible fruits, vegetables and plants for its natural colors. (Image Credits: GNT).A number of whitening alternatives to titanium dioxide have been innovated to comply with the recent European ban on TiO2.

GNT similarly uses edible fruits, vegetables and plants for its natural colors using physical processing methods such as chopping, pressing and filtering. 

“We have a vertically integrated supply chain and work closely with our contract farmers to grow the most naturally vibrant non-GMO crops year in and year out,” says Maartje Hendrickx, market development manager at GNT Group.

“The Exberry portfolio includes more than 400 colors in different formats, including liquids, powders, and a variety of specialist products. This allows us to provide a full spectrum of shades for almost any food and drink application.”

Meanwhile, Sensient sources natural colors from a wide variety of botanicals and minerals, “from beet to radish to black carrots to butterfly pea flowers and more.” 

Extraction processes depend on the botanical or mineral and what will be the most successful to optimize color performance. For example, some of our color solutions leverage water-only extractions. In contrast, others require a more complex technology-based process to ensure maximum pigment preservation,” says Meghan Skidmore, content marketing lead at Sensient Food Colors.

The importance of clean label
Hendrickx notes that coloring foods offer key advantages over other coloring solutions as they’re considered ingredients rather than additives in the EU and many other parts of the world. “This means they don’t require E-numbers and can be listed in a way that’s simple to understand, such as “carrot and beetroot concentrates. They’re also 100% vegan-friendly, halal and kosher.”

She offers insights about how coloring foods can help trim food costs.

“They can provide an excellent alternative to carmine, a commonly used ‘natural’ red color made from the cochineal insect. Carmine not only limits products’ appeal but also suffers from regular supply issues, with prices currently sky high.”

“Our reds are made from a variety of raw materials, including black carrots, radishes, and blackcurrants. One of the best crops for creating red colors is red sweet potato. It delivers vibrant yellowish red hues even at high pH levels and offers excellent stability, with minimal impact on taste in the final application,” she explains.

Similarly, Nathalie Pauleau, global project manager - of sense color at Givaudan Taste & Wellbeing, explains that the company also uses black carrot and other sources like annatto, turmeric and spirulina and different extraction techniques or manufacturing processes to create its natural colors. 

“Many of our natural colors are made using selective extraction methods to create a very concentrated product. But we also have our Vegebrite range of coloring foods created using water extraction or physical processes like juicing.”

“Our brown shades, including our burnt sugars, Naturbrown ingredients and caramels, are created by caramelizing natural sources rather than using extraction.” 

Adding to the clean label topic, she says that “simple label ingredients is certainly a huge driver” of color innovations. 

“One of Givaudan Sense Colour’s latest innovations is a burnt sugar that offers a simple label ingredient with a similar shade to class IV caramel/E150d for sweet or savory applications.” F&B companies have innovated alternatives to titanium dioxide to comply with EU regulations. 

Consumers want it natural
Today’s consumers are paying more attention to product labels than ever, searching for ingredients they perceive as being “closer to nature,” Goodman underscores. 

“They’re looking for ingredients that satisfy their desire for more transparency from food and beverage brands, and this includes ingredients that they recognize and trust. Research shows that 73% of consumers across EMEA and 75% across North America either agree or strongly agree that it is important that food and drink products do not contain artificial colors.”

Meanwhile, Sensient’s research from 2023 “indicates that ‘no artificial flavors/colors’ claims lead on-pack shopper preferences and influence purchasing decisions. Almost two-thirds of shoppers say they would be more likely to buy a product if it advertised a switch from artificial to natural colors, up substantially from just over half in 2014.” 

In the same vein, Hendrickx says that at GNT, the company sees “a clear shift toward natural colors all over the world.”

“Consumers are increasingly wary about artificial ingredients and want reassurance that products are safe and healthy.”

“Coloring Foods allow brands to create eye-catching products while maintaining clean and clear label declarations. They can also use ‘Colored with fruit & vegetables’ logos on the front of the packaging, helping them share a positive story about their products’ colors.”

Meanwhile, Pauleau explains that a “huge” part of color stability is using the right color with suitable applications, tailoring recommendations based on the end application’s process and recipe and considering factors such as heat or light sensitivity.

“Based on this information, we can formulate stable natural colors that perform optimally in the final application. For example, we may change our carotene formulation from oil-soluble to water-soluble using a suitable emulsifier to allow it to be used in beverages or add natural antioxidants to paprika to improve light stability in seasonings.” 

“We also have innovative and targeted formulations such as MiChroma, which can deliver homogenous pastels as well as intense color in fat-based applications.”

Stability is not so different in natural and synthetic color solutions.

“Stability of natural colors depends on the botanical and can be enhanced by the processing. Some sources thrive in heat processing or highly acidic environments, while others prefer low temperatures or more neutral pH conditions,” explains Skidmore. 

Color challenges
While naturally sourced colors are important to meeting increasing clean label demands, consumers are not willing to compromise on appearance, taste, cost or sustainability claims to ensure a product does not contain artificial colors.

According to Hendrickx, one of the best crops for creating red colors is red sweet potato.“When working with colors derived from natural sources, manufacturers must consider the harsh processing conditions of certain formulations that may impact a product's visual and sensory appeal. This includes pH instability, prolonged exposure to high temperatures and solubility, as well as packaging and shelf life,” Goodman details.

“Further, under harsh processing conditions, certain colors can bleed or create stains, and ingredients in highly colored foods may produce off-notes.”

These various sensory issues can make it difficult for product manufacturers to strike a balance between using natural ingredients and creating bold shades. 

ADM uses micronization technology, which builds plating characteristics into its color solutions, assisting in preventing flashing, streaking and bleeding in different applications.

“Plus, to address potential off-notes, we use our deodorizing and masking technologies, along with our patented extraction technology, to support the creation of gorgeous shades without unwanted flavors and aromas. Further, our extraction technology not only eliminates these off-notes, but it also removes proteins, sugars and starches to produce a true hue that can withstand even the most sensitive processing conditions.”

Also relating to bold shades, Hendrickx highlights how “the new generation increasingly wants bold and bright products that can create a sense of joy and excitement and make an impact on social media.”

GNT uses social media, looks for the “latest viral sensations” and works “with everyone” – from trend analysts to online influencers to semiologists – to understand social and cultural themes.

“We also run color workshops for our customers that cover trends, consumer psychology, and semiotics to inform and inspire their new product development,” Hendrickx reveals.

Givaudan also shares information through social media and its learning center via articles, videos, demos and webinars.

“We create a space where consumers and customers alike can research color information and ask questions when they can’t find the answers,” Pauleau explains.

Meanwhile, regarding challenges, Skidmore from Sensient says that natural color formulation faces many of the same challenges as synthetic development: pH, heat processing, light exposure, and other conditions, which can have an impact on both synthetic and natural color success depending on the colorant or target shade. Givaudan uses black carrot and other sources like annatto, turmeric and spirulina and different extraction techniques or manufacturing processes to create its natural colors.

“Developers can partner with color experts to overcome these challenges and select stable, high-performing solutions.”

“Cost can also be a concern in natural colors compared to synthetic colors, but color typically contributes a very small portion of the overall cost of a product anyway compared to other ingredients, so the end cost shift to shoppers does not need to be substantial.”

No room for greenwashing
Nonetheless, GNT highlights that sustainability is first, even if it is a challenge.

“There’s no room for greenwashing, with manufacturers now expecting hard data to support environmental claims,” Hendrickx underscores. 

“We’ve set out a commitment to lead the food coloring industry on sustainability, outlining a total of 17 clear targets to optimize our environmental and social impacts. Our annual sustainability report provides transparent data on our progress toward these goals each year.” 

“We’re also the first Coloring Foods supplier to issue a Greenhouse Gas Verification Statement, which features externally verified data on our emissions and means we can provide our customers with comprehensive, benchmarked information.”

Adding to the conversation about bold elements and climate change, Pauleau notes that “unexpected, bold or even color-changing elements can turn ordinary products into extraordinary multisensory food experiences.”

“Givaudan Sense Colour is working to close existing gaps when it comes to natural stable blues for beverages with our upcoming Everzure Galdieria, stable plant-based reds for applications with a neutral pH and heat treatment, as well as high-performance white alternatives to TiO2.”

“Anticipating climate change and its effect on raw materials means there’s much need for innovation around sustainable agriculture, biotech and localizing production. Of course, all of these innovations must take inflationary pressures into account in order to meet the demand for cost-efficient performance,” she concludes. 

By Marc Cervera