LycoRed Develops New Natural Red Colorant for Surimi Products

Recognizing a gap in the market for a safe, natural solution for surimi’s unique, vivid red color, LycoRed developed innovative tomato lycopene formulations that maintain perfect stability during the surimi production process as well as through the entire product shelf life.

Jan 18 2012 --- LycoRed has developed a unique, tomato lycopene formulation tailored specifically for use as natural colorant in surimi applications. This enables food manufacturers to use a natural and vegetarian colorant in compliance with the trend toward avoiding artificial colorants.

Surimi is a very popular food product in Asian countries as well as the U.S. About 2 to 3 percent—or 3 million tons—of the global fisheries supply is used for production of surimi and surimi-based products. Surimi is available in many shapes, forms and textures. Its texture and color are often identical to the meat of lobster crab or other shellfish. The most common surimi product in the Western market is a crab-meat analogue. In North America, surimi is often called imitation crab or mock crab. In many other countries around the world it is typically referred to as seafood sticks, crab sticks, fish sticks or seafood extender.

While the common red colorant used in the production of surimi is carmine—extracted from cochineal insects, consumer aversion and growing concern over possible allergies, has made carmine a far less desirable colorant to processors. Recognizing a gap in the market for a safe, natural solution for surimi’s unique, vivid red color, LycoRed developed innovative tomato lycopene formulations that maintain perfect stability during the surimi production process as well as through the entire product shelf life.

Speaking to FoodIngredientsFirst Roee Nir, Flavor Global Commercial  Manager for LycoRed said: "The product is already available in markets around the world. We are selling it to very big companies, we work with manufacturers whose products are available in many supermarkets. Our color can be found in various products, from Surimi to fish sausages, to crab sticks."

Carmine is often blended with paprika to achieve the correct shade for the local surimi market. LycoRed’s Tomato lycopene formulations are freely blendable with other colors such as paprika to allow manufactures to retain this flexibility.

"Lycopene is competitively priced to carmine. It depends on the cost of carmine prices, Lycopene is competitive and of course there is a small premium because this is a fully natural ingredient made with tomato," Nir explained.

Nir noted that LycoRed will be innovating in the color market in a number of ways: "We have various formulations. We have natural red colors available for use in beverages and confectionary. We have different products for different applications."

"We are extending our coloring portfolio; we currently specialize in colors from yellow to red to orange, in numerous different shades. We are expanding to support a range of nutritional products."

According to Innova Market Insights, the use of the word “natural” is particularly evident in the US and UK markets, where numerous products have been formulated adopting this positioning. A major trend away from artificial colors has been reported on the UK market in the last two years, where the high profile “Southampton Six” study has led to strong reformulation activity away from the azo-dye colors linked to hyperactivity in children.

By Michael Holt