Herza launches purple chocolate range in line with latest nutritional trends

15 Sep 2017 -- Purple colors in foods is one of the strong trends this year. Cupcakes, ice cream and waffles in vivid lilac are just as much on trend as violet fruit and vegetables. In line with these colorful trends, Herza Schokolade has introduced a new purple range of chocolate consisting of white chocolate enhanced with concentrated fruit and vegetable powders.

The resulting chocolate pieces in six different shades of purple are visual highlights in cereal mixtures, muesli bars or ice cream. They are available as big leaves, prisms or chopped pieces. On request, Herza can also offer the purple range in customized shapes.

The color purple has as much to do with enjoyment as it does with a healthy diet since violet-colored fruits and vegetables have a high antioxidant content. Antioxidants defend the body's cells against free radicals. What's more, they are anti-inflammatory and protect vessels.

Bodil Reimers, Product Developer, at Herza Schokolade told FoodIngredientsFirst: “The main application would be in cereals (mueslis, bars). It could also be used as decoration or in ice creams. The purple pieces are not bake stable, so the chocolate pieces would melt into the dough. Still, an application in bakery could be possible, we would have to determine whether the color of the fruit and vegetable powders are heat stable.”

Do you believe consumers will view this as healthier chocolate? “The purple chocolates are designed to grade up trendy foods like superfood cereal mixes etc. and to make healthy foods like muesli more attractive for a wider target group,” he reveals.

“Purple itself is on trend and in foods, the color purple indicates a high content of antioxidants. These flavonols protect body cells from free radicals.”

During the production processes of the powders the purple color is retained which means that the flavonols which add the main nutritional value, are still active,” Reimers says.

The color of the chocolate pieces stems from the use of fruit powder of elderberries, aronia berries, and wild blueberries, as well as vegetable powder extracted from beetroot and black carrots. Hibiscus extract is another source of coloring and nutrients. All of these varieties of fruit and vegetable are rich in various vitamins, minerals and secondary plant substances.

Elderberries, with their high content of provitamin A and B vitamins are used, for instance, as a medicinal plant to treat colds and flu. They strengthen the immune system and are anti-inflammatory. The antioxidative, anti-inflammatory and detoxifying action of beetroot is based, among other things, on the high concentration of the vegetable colorants betanin and vulgaxanthin and the high levels of B vitamins and iron. Aronia berries are a real super food as they contain several vitamins, including A, C and E, along with numerous minerals and trace elements, for instance, calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc and iron.

They contain health-promoting flavonoids, too. With a high concentration of nutrients, purple foods have been known to support the cardiovascular system and immune defense. Anthocyanins rank among the most important antioxidants. These phytocolorants protect the body's cells and vessels and are anti-inflammatory. Black carrots, wild blueberries and hibiscus extract are rich in anthocyanins.

With the new Herza purple range manufacturers of cereals, muesli bars and ice cream can enhance their products with every conceivable added value.

By Elizabeth Green

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