IFT First 2025: GNT navigates shifting color regulations with plant-based hues

F&B manufacturers in the US and beyond are actively seeking effective alternatives to synthetic colors as regulatory pressures mount and clean label expectations rise. At this year’s IFT First in Chicago (July 14-16), GNT USA showcased its plant-based Exberry colors to support brands in reformulating away from synthetic dyes, without sacrificing visual appeal.

“Color is important in how food and drink are perceived — it’s often the first thing people notice. This year at IFT, color is a hot topic, mainly due to the evolving regulations around FD&C colors in the US,” Alice Lee, technical marketing manager at GNT USA, tells Food Ingredients First from the showfloor. 

The FDA’s recent moves to support natural dye adoption and US Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. urging a faster phase‑out of Red No. 3 continues to bolster the shift to natural alternatives.

Highlighting the growing urgency among brands to find alternatives, she emphasizes that switching from FD&C colors to plant-based options “isn’t always a direct one-to-one replacement.”

“Plant-based colors are made from edible fruits, vegetables, and plants, so you must consider that these natural pigments will react differently to pH, heat, and processing conditions.”

She believes GNT can help manufacturers “navigate and understand which solutions will work the best in their products.”

Plant-based colors react differently to pH and heat due to their natural origin, says Lee.

Unlocking color creativity

GNT’s “Color Your Snack Adventure,” an interactive snack bar that pairs its Exberry shades with creative seasonings, was on display at the show. 

“At our booth, we’re featuring Color Your Snack Adventure, where we’re showcasing six boldly colored snack seasonings. Visitors can customize their snack, and it’s a fun, hands-on way to explore what plant-based colors can do,” says Lee.

Manufacturers can use the ingredients in sweet and savory snack bases for applications such as pizza ranch (orange), honey miso (yellow), dill pickle (green), hibiscus chile (purple), and passionfruit orange guava (pink).

The plant-based color supplier provides color-matching services and stability testing, delivering end-to-end support to manufacturers from “lab to commercial scale,” says Lee.

“We also have a new Customer Experience Center in North Carolina. It’s a space where customers can test, troubleshoot, or co-create new product innovations.”

Color innovation in focus

GNT says it formulates its Exberry colors from non-GMO fruits, vegetables, and plants, which support simple US label declarations like “fruit and vegetable juice for color.” They are versatile and can be used in nearly any F&B matrix, such as snacks, sodas, and dairy.

Exberry colors are made from non-GMO fruits, vegetables, and plants and can be used in snacks, soda and dairy products.The company has worked on plant-based color innovation for nearly five decades, collaborating closely with over 300 farmers to ensure full supply chain transparency and quality from seed to shelf. 

Last month, GNT launched an organic pink color, a liquid concentrate derived from purple sweet potatoes grown to meet EU and US organic standards.

“We’re always innovating. We’re not just focused on current demands, and are looking ahead to what’s coming,” says Lee. 

The company is working on continuous technical improvements, including sourcing better raw materials and enhancing color performance across various applications.

“We aim to help and guide the industry in understanding what options are out there and supporting them through the challenges they’re facing,” she concludes.