Content area
Full Text
Despite formulation, cost challenges, natural colors on the rise
WITH A GROWING INTEREST IN GETTING BACK TO NATURE, CONSUMER demand for natural ingredients has flourished. As beverage-makers formulate new products, more now are choosing natural colors to appeal to this consumer desire.
"Consumers eat with their eyes first, so color is critical to flavor perception. The right level of brightness and authenticity of color is very important to the overall consumer experience, so color is an essential component in beverage formulations," says Mukul Juneja, director of marketing for colors at Decatur, Ill.-based Archer Daniels Midland Co.'s (ADM) Wild Flavors and Specialty Ingredients business unit. "The predominant trend in coloring beverages right now is the move toward colors derived from natural sources. The natural colors market is growing much faster than the demand for artificial colors."
NATURAL CHALLENGES
Although natural color solutions offer consumer appeal, they also can incorporate a unique set of challenges into a formulation. "Working with natural colors allows beverage brands to be aligned to what consumers are asking for; they are robust and appealing solutions that add value to a brand," says Eric Jouenne, global technical industry manager of beverage at Chr. Hansen Inc., Milwaukee. "The challenge is to reduce the cost in use while increasing the stability in certain media."
Nathalie Pauleau, global category manager of natural colors for Naturex Inc., South Hackensack, N.J., also notes that beverage-makers should use a different perspective when working with natural color solutions. Labels are increasingly scrutinized, with consumers not just looking for recognizable ingredients, but also for organic ingredients, less sugar, new health claims, etc. These trends mean that the question of color has to be approached from a more global perspective," she explains.
Stephen Lauro, president of Anaheim, Calif.-based colorMaker Inc., says that many considerations must be made when using natural colors in beverage formulations, and that the decision to use natural colors should be determined at the beginning of the research and development (R&D) process.
"Natural colors must be considered first, before flavors, packaging and distribution, because the selection of a natural color will impact the choice of flavor, package and even distribution," he explains. "Natural colors can and do deliver visual appeal to beverages. However, natural colors may be sensitive...