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    Ingredients for Dairy ProcessorsColors/Flavors

    Ingredient Showcase

    Ingredient suppliers highlight the latest solutions in colors

    Two scoops of pink strawberry ice cream in a white ceramic ramekin on a white marble surface.
    Image courtesy of California Natural Color
    April 27, 2026

    CALIFORNIA NATURAL COLOR

    A FULL SPECTRUM OF NATURAL COLORS

    California Natural Color’s portfolio of product solutions includes a full spectrum of color for a variety of applications, including dairy. Coloring dairy products poses formulation challenges due to protein interaction, processing, light exposure and shelf-life concerns, the company says. As a supplier of anthocyanin-based colors, the CNC team offers technical expertise to help dairy manufacturers use natural colors that meet clean-label and vibrant color expectations. As the industry shifts from synthetic to natural colors, the company’s portfolio delivers reliable, plant-based options such as beet, spirulina, turmeric and purple sweet potato. Red Beet, for example, is a strong alternative to Red 3, offering consistent, stable, and visually appealing hues for ice cream and novelty items, according to the company.

    californianaturalcolor.com


    Three scoops of organic caramel ice cream from Global Organics in a white bowl on top of a pink and white striped cloth napkin.

    Image courtesy of Global Organics

    GLOBAL ORGANICS

    THE HUE OF CARAMEL COLOR

    Organic caramel from Global Organics offers dairy and plant-based dairy formulators a clean-label way to build both color and flavor. Made from just two ingredients — organic sugar and water — these Class 1 caramels contain no sulfites, ammonia or added chemicals, and can be labeled simply as “burnt sugar,” the company states. Available in Fair Trade options, organic caramel is non-GMO and free of 4-MEI, a compound of concern found in some conventional caramels. It delivers varying intensities of color and caramelized flavor depending on usage and performs particularly well in applications such as ice cream, where a suggested 2% inclusion provides a rich hue.

    www.global-organics.com


    Sunshine Yellow frozen dessert in a bowl with sliced bananas, another bowl and a bunch of bananas are in the blurred background.

    Image courtesy of GNT

    GNT

    SUNSHINE YELLOW FROZEN DESSERTS

    As ice cream makers reformulate to remove artificial colors, Exberry Yellow

    Carotene from GNT offers a plant-based alternative to FD&C Yellow 5 in vanilla and custard-style frozen desserts. Sourced from sustainably cultivated algae, it delivers warm, creamy hues that align with consumer expectations while supporting clean-label ingredient statements and “no artificial colors” claims, according to the company. Its high color intensity allows for low usage rates, helping developers achieve the desired appearance efficiently in frozen applications. Exberry Yellow Carotene helps maintain an appealing look throughout shelf life while preserving the familiar visual cues consumers expect from classic vanilla flavors.

    www.exberry.com


    Three cups of fruit preps showcasing various red blends (Amaize Red, Orange-Red, Berry Red blend).

    Image courtesy of Sense Colour

    SENSE COLOUR

    TASTE THE RAINBOW IN DAIRY

    The Amaize line from Sense Colour offers a range of vibrant orange-red, red and pink-red shades for fruit preps and dairy inclusions that are ideal for replacing FD&C Red 40, according to the company. This line helps companies achieve colors for traditional berry flavors like strawberry, cherry and raspberry, or unique and trending flavors like guava or dragon fruit. These non-GMO corn-based colors have the benefit of neutral taste and excellent heat and light stability, allowing them to withstand high heat processing and transparent packaging. They can be labelled as vegetable juice for color and have a completely transparent supply chain from seed to sale, the company states.

    www.ddwcolor.com

    KEYWORDS: caramel color in dairy processing ice cream natural colors for dairy foods and beverages plant-based colors

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