Chr. Hansen Develops Natural Color Solutions for Prepared Foods

Chr. Hansen’s Global Expertise Center for Prepared Foods in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US has developed natural color solutions for a variety of prepared foods.

13 Jun 2012 --- Chr. Hansen has many years of experience and knowledge in successfully using natural colors for prepared foods. The Danish ingredient company has strategically targeted this industry and devoted resources to focus on cereals, snacks, soups, dry & frozen meals, sauces/dips/dressings & condiments, dry mixes and seasonings and bakery. During the IFT12 show, Chr. Hansen representatives will be happy to provide natural color solutions for soups, sauces, snacks such as popcorn and cheese puffs, cereals, dry mixes and ready-to-eat meals.

Times are changing

”The health and wellness platform is driving healthier eating habits and thus the growth in natural colors,” comments Kurt Seagrist, Senior Vice President, Chr. Hansen Inc. “Unlike Europe where recent legislation requires a warning label on food products if synthetics are used, there is no such regulation in the US market and therefore no conclusive data. While Chr. Hansen does not foresee food legislation changing in the near future, continued consumer interest is driving new product development with US food companies to use natural colors.”

Of all product launches using natural colors in the first half of 2011, bakery accounted for 13.3%, sauces and seasonings 9.6% and ready-to-eat meals 8.0%, according to Innova Market Insights. “This indicates a desire to convert to natural colors in the prepared foods category,” notes Peter Gower, Business Development Director for Prepared Foods.

The industry go-to center

Due to continued strong demand for natural colors, Chr. Hansen has expanded its application and pilot laboratories and R&D staff in its Milwaukee-based US headquarters. This Global Expertise Center is the go-to center for project work and technical support for successfully using natural colors in the prepared foods category. In the new Global Expertise Center, Chr. Hansen natural color specialists assist customers, solve their technical issues and help them protect their brands' equity by converting from synthetic colors to natural colors.

In addition to the North American headquarters in Milwaukee, Chr. Hansen has a Global Expertise Center at its corporate headquarters in Hoersholm, Denmark which focuses on natural colors for confectionery and ice cream, and one in Montpellier, France which specializes in natural colors for beverages, dairy, fruit preparations and phytonutrients.