Plant-based colors expand: Green, black and purple hues on the horizon, says DDW

30 Nov 2020 --- The demand for natural colors is on the rise outside of traditional concepts such as confectionery. Notably, there is a piqued interest in natural green, black and purple hues, according to DDW The Color House. 

Speaking to FoodIngredientsFirst during Fi Europe Connect, Andrew Kendrick, senior technology and innovation manager, flags the company’s latest innovations in colors for various F&B applications.

The company is highlighting two of its latest pillar colors: chlorophyll, a natural green hue sourced directly from grass and carbon black, an intense color with a “perfect pour.”

Green as grass
According to Kendrick, DDW’s green chlorophyll “is produced from plant material in accordance with EU purity criteria.” A partnership with a UK-based producer allows the company to “trace it right back to the field,” he says.

Usage and cost are both low, Kendrick notes. “In product formulations, there are few challenges with low pH conditions, but we can make it acid-stable.”

DDW’s green chlorophyll is the only one on the market that can be traced back to edible plants.DDW can also create a range of bespoke green shades by blending in yellow colors, for example, across a wide range of applications. “It’s a nice raw material with a very high impact color,” he adds. 

Already, there are a few examples on the market, including a mint color, which works very well for ice cream, states Kendrick. 

Not easy being green
Notably, green colors are popular in the confectionery space and have been for many years. “There are several challenges we have to overcome when applying these colors in hard candy or gummies,” he continues. “But for us, that’s where the fun begins.”

Kendrick also points to “surprising places” where deep green hues are needed, such as mint sauce condiments, he reveals. 

Thanks to its connotations with freshness, there is piqued interest in green foodstuffs, asserts Kendrick. “A lime color looks fresh and appealing for consumers. Green is popular within the confectionery space for that very reason,” he says. 

“If you take a typical selection of candy or gummies, there is always a green color inside. In typical Christmas launches, it’s all about greens and reds,” Kendrick adds.DDW’s carbon black has a “perfect pour.”

Deep black with a perfect pour
DDW’s carbon black color is made using vegetable matter. “It has a very intense deep black color because the raw material we use is a powder,” explains Kendrick.

“If you used the powder as it is, you would probably get a grey color in something like icing sugar. But we disperse it in sugar and then mill it down to decrease the particle size. As the particles get smaller, the total surface area gets bigger and you get more of a deeper color expression,” he reveals. 

Without using DDW’s technology, you’d get a sludge-like consistency, which would be very difficult to use in product formulation, notes Kendrick. “However, with our technology, you get a very nice pourable liquid.”

Traditionally, black coloring has been used in confectionery, such as licorice, but now there are growing demands outside of typical applications. 

“Recently, we’ve had a lot of requests for black coloring in cakes and cake icings. Halloween NPD has a lot of black and orange and there have been some very nice launches which have contained our carbon black.”

Black food coloring is used in confectionery products like licorice, but there have been demands outside of these applications. “Last year, there was a blood orange Fanta beverage which contained carbon black. Also, some energy drinks have used the coloring too,” he continues. “Particles that have been decreased in size will stay suspended in beverage formulations, and we’ve had quite a few inquiries for this.”

Purple pigments
DDW customers are also requesting pink and purple hues, which are obtained from beetroot. 

“Beetroot coloring pigments are often used in strawberry ice cream or milkshakes, for example. We see a lot more demand for this, but particularly for vivid pinks and purples across the spectrum,” Kendrick asserts.

“We can offer it as a concentrate for those specific applications,” he notes. And as an ingredient, beetroot is gaining traction. 

“There are quite a few research papers about recovery in athletes and other such things when using beetroot. So beetroot is getting quite a nice reputation as a healthy sports recovery type ingredient.”

Kendrick also points to the fact that beetroot is “label-friendly” and a widely recognizable vegetable. He expects further attention to be brought to light in the next 12 months. Andrew Kendrick, senior technology and innovation manager at DDW.

“We’re often asked about blends and our customers want to dial into various shades of colors,” he further explains. “As an example, there was a blend of beetroot and spirulina which gave the exact shade of purple for a specific formulation,” he comments. 

“It’s all about having different hues of purples and reds. Science and color technology allows us to experiment with different blends, creating valuable and bold colors,” adds Kendrick. 

Colors evolve 
There are classic food colors that have long been known and loved in the food industry. “Today, however, people want colors that are outside of the box,” Kendrick flags. 

The bakery space has been one area that has seen “significant experimentation with colors,” he notes. There has been an increase in more sophisticated home baking kits in line with this. 

“Consumers are stepping away from the standard fairy cakes and there have been some interesting launches with color change icing and alginate beads, for example. We are starting to see food science rolling out and playing a big part in people’s lives, particularly at a time when consumers are baking with the family or even self-isolating,” he says. 

“The quality of home-baking is improving as people look for escapism during difficult times,” Kendrick explains. 

Colors for plant-based applications
During this week’s ongoing Fi Europe Connect 2020’s virtual event, DDW presented a webinar entitled Natural Colors for Plant-based Proteins. 

As plant-based beverages and meat analogs continue to rise, so does the demand for colors. Dairy alternative launches are occurring faster than dairy product launches, which means there’s more NPD and innovation occurring. 

Commenting on the webinar, Kendrick reveals: “One key thing when you look at the differences between an oat milk or a cashew milk is the color. Traditionally, colors haven't been added into these milks, but if you are looking to develop a flavored plant-based milk, your base color is going to be different.”

Presenting the webinar, Kelly Polte, associate application scientist at DDW, said: “We eat with our eyes first and consumers expect food to be the color of the flavor that they’re expecting.”

DDW customers are also requesting pink and purple hues, which are obtained from beetroot. “Natural colors lend themselves well to helping match some of these flavor trends such as blueberry, for example, which can be achieved with chlorophyll and spirulina blends,” she explains. 

Matching expectations
For a product to communicate the right flavor to customers, you need to find the right blend of colors, Polte emphasizes. 

“For example, two plant-based milk alternatives, one with DDW’s color blend scarlet red and yellow tones, might be good for a strawberry flavor, while a blend with red and blue tones might be better suited for a raspberry flavor beverage,” she explains. 

“An almond and coconut milk beverage would work nicely for strawberry flavor. However, the brown tones of cashew milk could affect that red color and give it more of a red-brown tone. That might not be the right choice for a strawberry beverage,” Polte notes.

One of the most important things to consider when coloring a plant-based milk alternative beverage is the base’s color, Polte adds. 

“Since these start from plant sources, you have to overcome some of those brown and yellow hues that are characteristic to the plants to achieve your target color. Conversely, you may want to use natural colors to enhance those natural brown and yellow hues to achieve a richer color.” 

By Elizabeth Green