Industry Poll: Natural Red is the Most Technically Challenging Hue

Market research from Innova Market Insights cites a higher share of recent food and beverage launches with coloring derived from natural sources. Manufacturers are creating more products that achieve visual appeal without using synthetic color additives. For those employing natural colors, a recent poll suggests that red is the most challenging hue.

To gain customer insight, D.D. Williamson (DDW) polled 31 industry technologists at the biennial Food Ingredients Europe exposition, held last month in Frankfurt, Germany. Only those with technical credentials participated in the poll that featured the following question: “Which [one] hue from natural sources is the most technically challenging for [your] new product development?” Red, selected by 39% of respondents, ranked highest. Green and blue scored 19% and 13%, respectively. Other technologists voted for black, purple, yellow, brown or orange, but none selected white from the list.

“The poll’s data reveal natural red’s challenge, particularly in the meat, dairy and bakery sectors,” observed Campbell Barnum, vice president, branding and market development. “Few choices can deliver a heat-stable, naturally derived, customized red hue in products with neutral to higher pH,” added Barnum.

Only 3% of the technologists selected either brown or orange. “Low scores may imply sufficient stability across many processing and storage conditions for those hues in food and beverage products,” concluded Barnum.

Seven (23%) of the 31 technologists work in the beverage industry. The confectionery, dairy and meat/poultry/seafood sectors account for 19% each. The bakery/snack/cereal sector represents 13% of participants, and others account for 6%.