Ingredient suppliers highlight the latest solutions for natural colors

VEGETABLE PUREES FOR COLOR

Del Carmen Foods offers vegetable purees like beetroot, carrot, and spinach that can be used as natural colors on food. The company's use of these ingredients for natural dyed color is extensive and applicable for smoothies, frozen yogurt, and other dairy options. The idea of naturally coloring food is ideal because it gives customers many fun varieties in what they are making, which makes plates more creative and tasteful.

760-970-5571; www.delcarmenfruits.com

NEW PASTEL COLORS

Colors play a vital role in purchasing decisions by enhancing a product’s appearance, likeability, and perceived taste with several color trends translating into flavors that inspire food and drink innovation, according to Flavorchem. This year is witnessing an influx of soft pastel colors and indulgent neutral shades that produce feelings of comfort and calmness. These muted tones translate into botanical flavors such as vanilla and mint along with decadent variations from caramel. Pantone’s 2023 Color of the Year ‘Viva Magenta’ signals boldness with hues ranging from pink, purple, and red that equate flavors dragon fruit, fruit punch, and bubble gum.

800-435-2867; www.flavorchem.com

GREEN HUES FOR DAIRY PRODUCTS

The bright, bluish green Exberry shade “Jade Green” and yellowish-green shade “Lime Green” from GNT provide single-color solutions for ease of use with a truly clean label. Both are made from non-GMO turmeric and spirulina concentrates, which are processed with water using familiar methods such as boiling and pressing. These radiant green hues deliver cost-effective vibrancy to a wide range of dairy and non-dairy products such as frozen desserts, yogurts, and beverages. The green Exberry range is available in liquid and powder formats.

704-469-5555; www.exberry.com

NATURALLY SOURCED COLORS

Nelson-Jameson’s diverse color portfolio of naturally-sourced colors help dairy producers meet the demands of safe and sustainable foods and create beautiful, healthy products. The company is a one-stop-shop for the dairy industry, offering customized color solutions to perfectly match shades, stabilize formulas and maximize color with minimal color transfer to whey. A wide range of colors, from vivid yellows to sweet oranges, are naturally derived from vegetables and plants to achieve great-tasting cheeses. Ingredient specialists have expert knowledge in color performance and stability to help producers obtain more profitable production and maintain product integrity.

800-826-8302; www.nelsonjameson.com

A RAINBOW OF COLORS
For bright sky blues in dairy products like ice cream, optimized spirulina extract from Sensient Food Colors is an excellent natural color solution. It blends with other natural colors, extending the rainbow even further to include vibrant greens and rich purples. Sensient’s cost-effective spirulina is perfect for mint ice creams, blueberry-flavored frozen novelty bases and compound coatings, or lavender-flavored plant-based frozen treats.

800-325-8110; www.sensientfoodcolors.com

DARK SWEET CHERRY FRUIT

Tree Top announces the addition of dark sweet cherry to its product portfolio to highlight the enhanced capabilities of the new line at its Prosser facility. Farmed by the company’s existing grower network in the fertile soil of Washington state, the cherries grow right alongside its apples. This blend of sweet, rich, deep red mahogany-colored fruit is perfect paired with dairy. In contrast to the stark white of most dairy forms, the dark sweet cherry looks almost purple in application. The photo-worthy fruit not only catches consumers’ eyes, but could increase purchase intent based on a 2022 Mintel study on motivation to buy more frozen treats because it includes fresh fruit.

509-698-1481; https://www.treetop.com/