Lycored Explores Stability in Natural Colors for Fruit Preparations

The carotenoid leader showcased data from two scientific trials at IFT17 in Las Vegas this week. One shows that its natural colorants perform better than alternatives in fruit preparations for yogurts. The other demonstrates their resistance to fade, ringing and sedimentation in sparkling flavored waters.

Preventing Migration and Fade in Fruit-Layered Yogurts
Lycored first set out to explore the stability of its lycopene and betacarotene-derived colorants in fruit preparations in four varieties of fruit preparations layered on yogurt. It compared their performance with other natural colorants, such as paprika, carmine and carrot concentrate, as well as fruit preparations containing no color. The tests replicated the temperature and light conditions of a typical retail environment over 30 days.

 

In the yogurt containing lemon preparation, there was significant fade and migration in the sample colored with paprika, compared with the sample colored with Lyc-O-Beta Clear Emulsion. In the strawberry samples, there was severe migration from the carmine-based colorant, compared with the samples colored with Tomat-O-Red NGNS and Tomat-O-Red FP. There was also significant fade and distortion from the sample containing fruit preparation with no color, highlighting the need for colors to be added to fruit preparations to deliver consumer appeal.

 

Lycored then tested Tomat-O-Red and Lyc-O-Beta in yogurts in 100kg batches in an industrial environment. In each of the samples, Lycored’s colors remained stable at various temperatures up to 90OC for over 30 minutes’ holding time, demonstrating that they are process stable, even when subjected to high heat levels.

 

Stability in Flavored Beverages 
In the second trial Lycored tested the performance of its natural colors in flavored and colored sparkling waters – one of the beverage categories for which they are ideal.

 

Researchers assessed the stability of three Tomat-O-Red and four Lyc-O-Beta variants in sparkling water containing strawberry-flavored syrup over a 12-month shelf life.

 

Each sample was checked at regular intervals. Both Tomat-O-Red (R) and Lyc-O-Beta (R) delivered excellent performance, demonstrating resistance to fading, ringing and lack of sedimentation.

 

Tammi Higgins, Business Unit Head, Colors at Lycored said: “Every day we are learning more about the possibilities offered by our natural colorants, showing that they demonstrate stability in a growing number of applications. There is a long-standing perception that natural colors are hard to work with, or do not perform to the level of artificial alternatives. We are working towards a day when that is a thing of the past.”