Beverage Insights Magazine: Natural ColorsThe Art & Science of Coloring Beverages to Satisfy Clean-Label Demand

Color has long helped to create identity and value in beverages; however, an increasing push for "natural" ingredients continues to emerge in a category where the vast majority of products have traditionally spanned a very brightly colored rainbow. "Natural Colors," a free Digital Issue from SupplySide Beverage Insights, explores the art and science of coloring beverages naturally. Despite the formulation challenges, colorants derived from fruits and vegetables go a long way with consumers these days, yielding products that triumph in the clean-label arena. Kelly Newsome, part of the corporate communications team at GNT USA Inc., explores the opportunities and potential pitfalls of clean-label formulation, whether developing products for distribution in the United States or abroad. She also examines the international nuances of label claims, regulations and retailer requirements.

Mathilde Brousse, an R&D color engineer at David Michael Europe, further details the arduous task of shifting from synthetic to natural colorsa process many beverage manufacturers worldwide are undergoing simply in the pursuit of greater consumer acceptance. Brousse outlines the benefits of artificial pigments, including the wide spectrum of available colors, stability through time, and ease of use in terms of pH range, integration with application base, and heat/light exposure/treatment. While the marketplace has all but mastered the use of artificial colors, the research and testing pool for natural colors has had to evolve quickly, as suppliers become adept in identifying natural alternatives for specific beverage applications.

It's difficult for companies to navigate away from certified colors obtained by chemical synthesis because they are inexpensive, stable and widely available. But as Nathalie Pauleau, a business manager at NATUREX reveals, consumer and retailer pressure for more natural ingredients has gained manufacturers' attention, as evidenced by widely publicized concerns regarding the use of cochineal, azo colorants or 4-MEI caramel colors. Pauleau shares alternative vegetarian color solutionssuch as fruit and vegetable concentrates containing anthocyanins as major pigmentsand the additional considerations for ensuring a stable formulation in the proper hue.