IFT First 2024: Givaudan Sense Colour expands Amaize portfolio with new natural Red 40 alternative

25 Jul 2024 --- Givaudan Sense Colour unveiled its Amaize orange-red at IFT First 2024 in Chicago, US. The launch expands the food colors provider’s current Amaize line of corn-based anthocyanin colors and offers a close match to Red 40 in acidic applications. 

According to Givaudan, the orange-red has “excellent” stability to heat and light and is available in powder and liquid forms. The color suits low-pH applications such as beverages, confections, fruit preps, ice lollies, sorbets and snack seasonings.

Food Ingredients First speaks with Megan Jacobs, global marketing director for Sense Colour, to learn more about the Amaize orange-red color, its applications and the possible link between colors and emotion.

“We launched Amaize red in 2018, which we gently extract from a purple corn hybrid developed using natural breeding techniques in partnership with agronomists. Amaize orange-red is an extension of that. The original red is a more purple-pink red, close to black carrot or elderberry. This will be a lot closer in shade to red radish, making it a great alternative to synthetic reds like red 40.”

“It can be labeled as either a vegetable juice for color or purple corn juice color. It is gently extracted using water and works on a pH range between 2.5 and 4.”

She adds that while not in the same realm as carmine, which “is hard to beat,” the new shade suits beverages and other acidic products well.

“Carmine works well in neutral pH things like dairy or baking. The Amaize orange-red, because it’s an anthocyanin, is more suited for beverages, confections, snack seasonings and fruit preps — things in that pH range that are more acidic. It’s heat and light stable as long as it doesn’t go out of that pH range it likes. It will have that kind of red 40 color and is a great replacement.”

Givaudan’s new shade suits beverages and other acidic products well.The link between color and emotion
Givaudan has been conducting a campaign across North America and Europe on consumer associations with color and how a product’s shade can impact moods and the eating and drinking experience.

Jacobs notes that the results vary by geography, gender identities and age, but some color associations remain universal.

“Many associate red with energy and refreshment, whereas they could associate something like a blue beverage with being calming and sweet. If a developer is creating a sports drink that wants to energize consumers for their workout, you might want to make that beverage red because that’s invigorating.”

“But if it’s a post-workout cooldown or recovery type drink, you may want to go for a pink, purple or blue, which could be [perceived] more calming and cooling.”

Future moves
Givaudan is awaiting regulatory approval for an acid stable blue shade in partnership with Fermentalg.

“It’s based on microalgae, and similar to spirulina, it creates a vibrant blue color that is more acid stable, so you can use it in beverages or confections where spirulina might not be stable because it likes that neutral pH between four and seven.”

In addition, the company is aiming to expand further into clean label grounds and class one caramel colors and how to make those more stable.

“We want to make sure that we have brown innovations that go along with market demand for functional shades that meet the clean label needs of our customers.”

The color technology industry is bracing for the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its possible role in finding color solutions. Givaudan remains “fascinated” with AI and keeps track of the latest developments in the field, using it as an external tool to inform consumer research.

“In terms of capabilities, nothing would ever really replace the recommendations of a food scientist because colors are so specific to the formulation of the product you’re working on,” explains Jabobs.The Amaize orange-red offers a close match to Red 40 in acidic applications (Image credit: Givaudan).

“We’re looking at AI in terms of how we can use it to gather market data and consumer insights and ensure that we’re launching things in line with that. We’re not doing anything with AI internally right now. But we work with companies that use AI to gather market data.”

According to her, the ongoing legislation in the US, where several states, including Illinois, New York and Pennsylvania, are considering banning over six synthetic food colorings, has led to an increased demand for natural color solutions.

The proposed legislation comes after California banned the usage of red dye No.3 because of its potential health risks.

“We’ve seen a lot of people looking for alternatives to synthetics. Different legislations are coming down from different states, and nobody’s sure what that means for the food industry because the FDA still says synthetic colors are fine. But we have at least proposed legislation across four or five states looking at labeling or banning synthetic colors.”

“We have seen an increase of people just at least wanting to be prepared with a solution for their synthetic colors,” she concludes.

By Anvisha Manral, with additional reporting from Missy Green at IFT First 2024 in Chicago, US