BRIGHT DAYS AHEAD
FOR INNOVATIVE
NATURAL COLORS
THEMATIC SERIES N°2
Overview
From synthetic to
natural colors: the
future is already here
The question is not whether it’s necessary to switch
from synthetic to natural food colorings, but how
worried food manufacturers should be if they have not
already made the switch. Natural food coloring is no
longer a future trend but an actual reality. Consumer
impetus is strong for manufacturers to ‘clean’ up, as
reflected in the rapid uptake of natural colors in new
product launches.
However, some still hesitate to switch from synthetic
additives for existing product ranges. Despite
consumer expectations that even ‘non-healthy’
confectionery and snacks contain natural ingredients;
transforming a ‘junk’ connotation into a sentiment of
occasional indulgent pleasure. Think the ostracized
trans-fat, reductions of salt and sugar, removal of
preservatives – consumers are driving what is in their
processed food.
The new market differentiator is not ‘if’ natural
flavors and colors are being used, but ‘how’ they are
being used; to innovate in craft, novel, functional and
mainstream foods, which will catch the attention and
imagination of emerging consumer groups such as the
millennials.
Natural colors are
increasingly used in food
& drink launches1
NORTHERN
AMERICA
50%
ASIA
PACIFIC
69%
EUROPE
89%
Europe: a defining moment
for natural food coloring
In 2007, serious concerns were raised through
research on the links between a combination of
synthetic food colors – the Southampton six – and
child hyperactivity. In its 2010 precautionary response,
the EU applied obligatory warnings to children’s food
labeling and reduced the acceptable daily intake levels
of the colorings. Many EU confectioners switched to
natural colors (to avoid the label warning), and this
became a differentiator for parents and a vector for
consumers to demand natural food colorants.
Consumers WANTING to see familiar
ingredients in their foods2
73%
65%
68%
Despite later research documenting limited possible
impacts to children already suffering from attention
deficiency disorders, a collective consumer focus on
synthetic colors was already entrenched. The logic was
simple: why give children food containing unnecessary
chemicals? The synthetic color tide was turning.
USA
P.2
CHINA
EUROPE
United States: the natural
color revolution is
underway
The global uptake of natural food colors in new
product development is generally positive, with Europe
leading, and Asia Pacific following as the fastest
growing natural color market3.
In Asia a driving force is the pervasiveness of food
safety scandals: the recycling of waste industrial or
animal oils, synthetically colored to be sold as healthier
vegetable oils in Taiwan; toxic toothpaste produced in
China and imported around the world; or high levels of
lead in packet noodles in India.
Widening media exposure, consumer outrage,
improving regulatory oversight, and losses in industry
market value and share have all contributed to this
rapid uptake of natural food additives across the
region.
A picture of the food
coloring market
According to market figures, the US has been lagging
behind in making the switch to natural colors.
The trend is confirmed in Europe and Asia but still
underway in the US. Recent Big Food announcements
confirm that under growing pressure from consumer
and health-interest groups, the natural color revolution
is now in full swing.
For instance, in early 2015, confectionery giants
Hershey and Nestlé USA both announced a move away
from artificial flavors and colors, while Mars confidently
reaffirmed the safety of these colors as used in the
iconic M&M. And just a year later in early 2016, citing
“increasing pressure to remove artificial colors due to
growing demands for more natural ingredients in their
products,” Mars announced that it will phase out all
artificial flavors and colors from its entire global food
and drink portfolio4.
EUROPE
LEGISLATION
AND REGULATION
27%
6
WORRIED
CONSUMERS*
5%
5
GERMANY
17%
FOOD AND DRINKS
LAUNCHES USE
ARTIFICIAL COLORS
CONSUMER LOBBIES
& ASSOCIATIONS
6
25%
5
ASIA
PACIFIC
FOOD AND DRINKS
LAUNCHES USE
ARTIFICIAL COLORS
42%
5
FOOD AND DRINKS
LAUNCHES USE
ARTIFICIAL COLORS
WORRIED
CONSUMERS*
WORRIED
CONSUMERS*
36%
65%
USA
6
WORRIED
CONSUMERS*
FRANCE
Where legislation regulates food coloring, consumers
are less concerned about artificial colors. But where
legislation is still lacking and industry is left to regulate
itself, consumers voice more concern about artificial
colorings in their food.
NORTHERN
AMERICA
Overview
Asia Pacific: stepping up to
food safety challenges
CHINA
CONSUMER LOBBIES
& ASSOCIATIONS
6
* CONSUMERS CONCERNED WITH THE USE OF ARTIFICIAL COLORING IN THEIR FOOD
P.3
Overview
Consumers willing to pay up
to 10% more for food and
beverages that are natural7
Bright days ahead for
innovative natural colors
55%
54%
47%
Food companies that aim to be part of the cleaner
food future are investing now to develop the next
natural food trends, fine-tune formulations with natural
ingredient partners, and build the corresponding new
or transitional brand stories that the consumers are
waiting and wanting to hear.
41%
33%
Beating a colorful path to
the millennial table
D
M
DO
NG
KI
ND
LA
Y
AN
IA
ITE
UN
SS
RU
CE
RM
GE
AN
ER
P.4
FR
• More food transparency, safe and healthy products
• New local and international foods, which tell a
complete story on health, sustainability, traceability,
entrepreneurship, human interest…
• Slow foods that source and value local ingredients
• Technology tricks that rapidly transform food in a
fun way
• New horizons in color and flavor associations
• Food that can be enjoyed and shared visually,
virtually and virally
• Building virtual communities through food, which is
colored to match visually recognizable political, social
or humanitarian causes and aspirations
ITZ
So what is the globally connected millennial
looking for on their table?
SW
As synthetic colors fade from view, new trends in
brightly colored foods are emerging. The millennial
generation is not only comfortable with vibrantly
colored food, but is looking for innovative brands and
products that speak a healthy and fun language, while
meeting new and adventurous expectations.
Today’s millennial is also tomorrow’s parent, which
opens a new era of entertaining and healthy children’s
food. At the current speed, within fifteen years,
synthetic flavors and colors should be nothing but
a distant memory, as the food industry innovates to
anticipate the joyous, yet demanding expectations of
the comings generations.
focus
From experimentation
to innovation in
natural color
The modern renaissance of
natural colors
The market for natural colors is growing steadily and is
expected to be worth 1.7 billion USD by 20208.
Despite disparate regulatory status across markets,
natural alternatives in all main colors are available,
with new additions coming through the R&D pipeline
regularly. Natural ingredient companies are making
constant progress and work closely with food
manufacturers to develop optimal formulations for
each given product.
Intricate modern extraction processes have allowed
the full potential of many plants to be sourced, a real
renaissance for botanical ingredients. An added bonus,
many of the plant sources offer nutraceutical and
nutritional benefits too. So along with great natural
colors, come powerful active ingredients, such as
antioxidants or micronutrients.
Coloring foodstuffs: clean
and clear
The most recent addition to the natural food color
palette is coloring foodstuffs. Where these differ from
synthetic and natural colors, is their status as an actual
food ingredient. Some natural coloring additives may
be extracted from animal or plant sources that are not
identified ‘for human consumption,’ such as alfalfa,
whereas coloring foodstuffs are just that; a food that
could be eaten, and thus an ingredient.
In Europe, the coloring foodstuff category is well
defined, with guidance published since 2013 & 2014:
• Used primarily to color food
• Sources recognized as edible foods within the EU,
and subject to traditional processing methods
• Non-selective physical or chemical extraction
European coloring foodstuffs are not associated with
the much maligned ‘E’ codes, or difficult to identify
names on labels. Instead, the name of the food itself
features, allowing consumers to easily identify the
ingredient. The much sought after clear and clean
label.
From synthetic to naturaL:
The red color exAmple
What’s available in natural
colors today
To meet consumer expectations, particularly the
millennials, the food industry is moving towards
gentler extraction and production processes, with
less chemical interactions and the preservation of
ingredients innate naturality. Natural food colors adopt
these processes in differing measures as illustrated
here:
Synthetic
Naturally sourced colors
Coloring
foodstuff
Natural
Origin
Fully
natural
Chemical
synthesis
Extraction +
Chemical
modification
(aluminium
lake)
Selective
extraction +
concentration
Juicing / water
extraction
+
concentration
Allura Red
E 129
Or Red #40
E 120
carmine
lake
Anthocyanin
(E163) or
Betanin
(E162)
Black carrot
concentrate
Beetroot
concentrate
P.5
focus
A bright future for
innovative natural blues
In the world of 100% natural food coloring, blue has
been one of the most challenging colors to master,
with irregularities in both shading and stability,
depending on the application. For this reason, synthetic
Brilliant Blue was still used in 67 percent of food and
drink launches from 2014 to 2015 including blue or
green9.
Ongoing innovation is seeing efficient and stable
natural blues come to market. This makes the use of
natural blue both modern and fun for consumers, and
a source of innovation for the food industry.
As the uptake and harmonization of natural food colors
gains ground, manufacturers are looking for innovative
blue solutions with a large geographic footprint. Colors
available only in certain regions today, could thus gain
worldwide regulatory status in the near future.
Blue, combined with yellow, also opens the door to
natural greens – another important color for the food
and drink industry.
Natural blue options
P.6
Blue Spirulina
Blue Gardenia
Blue Anthocyanins
Source
Spirulina
Gardenia fruit
Red cabbage
Shade
Blue/blue turquoise
Dark blue
Dark blue
Naturality
Coloring foodstuff in Europe
Natural color in other
countries
From a natural source, with
the addition of an amino
acid
Natural color
Regulatory
Permitted as a food additive:
USA, Japan, China, Korea –
coloring foodstuff in Europe
Permitted: China, Japan
Permitted: Europe, USA,
Australia, Japan
Forms
Liquid and powder
Liquid and powder
Powder
Stability
Good to light
Medium-fair to heat and in
acidic conditions
Good to light and heat
Medium-good in acidic
conditions
Good to light
Medium to heat
Not usable in acidic
conditions
Applications
Confectionery, ice-cream,
pastry decoration
Ice-cream, confectionery,
beverages, rice & flour goods
Panned confectionery,
ice-cream
Advantages
Bright blues, equivalent to
synthetic shades
Good overall stability
Permitted for use in many
countries
Disadvantages
Limited stability in certain
applications
Only permitted for use in
Asia (at the moment)
Only suitable for pH neutral
applications
solutions
The many wonders
of Blue Spirulina
Spirulina is a blue-green microalgae (Arthrospira
platensis), originally discovered in the alkaline lakes
of South America and Africa. It was traditionally part
of the Aztec and Kanem diets in centuries past. As
modernity arrived and natural habitats disappeared,
spirulina fell somewhat into oblivion until a gradual
renaissance over the last 3-4 decades.
Today, Spirulina is grown and harvested in sustainable
aquatic farms across the world. It is a rich source of
proteins, certain complex B vitamins, copper and iron,
and has antioxidant properties. Present on the natural
healthcare and specialty food scenes, Spirulina is
already widely used as a dietary supplement in tablet
form, and as a superfood in its powder form.
The microalgae family’s
impressive credentials
Spirulina is a member of the microalgae family, which
counts around 40,000 strains. The most proliferous,
overachieving and yet under recognized microalgae
is marine phytoplankton, found in the world’s oceans,
and which produces half of the earth’s oxygen10.
Some of the most well-known varieties of microalgae,
already in use as superfoods are: Astaxanthin, Chlorella
and Blue-Green Algae. Microalgae are being hailed as
the most interesting superfoods in decades, both for
their health properties and the promising prospects of
sustainable production.
These tiny organisms have been around for millions
of years, evolving into robust and adaptable species
that rely on sunshine and a relatively limited amount
of water to thrive and rapidly multiply. Despite
microalgae’s long existence, the scientific community
has only recently begun extensive research and
development, so the best is still to come.
Blue Spirulina in food
coloring
Not only is Spirulina a great food, but its water-soluble
phycocyanin pigment, specific to the Cyanobacteria
family is highly abundant, giving Blue Spirulina its
vibrant color. The original biomass is water extracted
and filtered, resulting in an aqueous extract that holds
the bright blue color. Combined with a natural yellow
such as Safflower or Turmeric extract (curcumin), it
produces shades of green; and with a red such as
Black carrot, it produces shades of purple. Making it
perfect for confectionery.
Also suitable for coloring bakery decoration,
confectionery coating, ice-cream and water ice,
and instant drinks, Blue Spirulina extract is versatile,
and clean. It benefits from a coloring foodstuff
classification in Europe and Australia, and a natural
color additive status in other regions, where the
coloring foodstuff category does not yet exist.
Permitted in the US since 2013, the use of Blue
Spirulina has taken off in a big way.
ICE BLUE, BLUE SPIRULINA
EXTRACT, LIQUID FORM
LIME GREEN, GREEN BLEND
OF BLUE SPIRULINA AND
SAFFLOWER EXTRACTS,
LIQUID FORM
P.7
solutions
healthy and fun
Let’s take Spirulina as an example of healthy and
fun innovation:
• Sustainably produced natural ingredient, which
is extracted gently and ethically
• Has acknowledged nutritional properties, and
is used as a dietary supplement and superfood
• 100% natural, it is permitted across most
of the world and features on clean and clear
labeling
• Provides high quality blue shades, close
to current synthetic blue shades, ensuring
seamless switches for existing products
• Is fluorescent: blue in normal day light and a
fun violet-rose color under UV light
• Can be added in, or on confectionery or baked
good as sparkling flakes
• Can be added to water in order to create
a nutritional product with unique flavor and
color, which stretches beyond common product
stereotypes
What’s the next best
coloring food?
Yellow is the most highly used food coloring in all
regions of the world, except Asia Pacific11. North and
South America continue to favor the controversial
synthetic color Tartrazine, while Europe, the Middle
East and Africa lean more towards the natural color
Curcumin. An exciting addition to the 100% natural
colored foodstuffs family is Safflower Yellow.
An ancient plant (Carthamus tinctorius L)
originating from the Mediterranean region,
the flower petals were used by the Egyptians
to color cotton, cosmetics and food, and also
in traditional Chinese and Indian medicine.
Today, the Safflower is grown extensively
across many countries and its seeds are used to
produce Safflower oil, while the petals are making
a clean, colorful and sustainable comeback to food
coloring.
Safflower Yellow
SPARKLES
EXCITING NATURAL
COLOR POSSIBILITIES
FOR CONFECTIONERY
Source
Safflower petals
Shade
Lemon yellow
Naturality
Coloring foodstuff in EU. Natural color
petition underway in USA.
Regulatory
Permitted as a food additive : China,
Japan - coloring foodstuff in Europe
Forms
Liquid and powder
Stability
Good to light, heat and in acidic conditions
Applications
Beverages, confectionery, ice-cream,
dairy
Advantages
Vibrant and stable yellows, equivalent to
synthetic shades
Disadvantages
Not yet widely permitted. Need for global
regulatory harmonization
LEMON YELLOW,
SAFFLOWER EXTRACT,
LIQUID FORM
P.8
solutions
Eating with the eyes,
the mind and the soul
Until today, flavor was a major vector for innovative
food, but color is now gaining a place in its own right.
With the advent of natural colors and coloring foods,
consumers and their children can safely enjoy new
culinary experiences; through innovations in flavor,
texture and color associations.
Cutting edge extraction and manufacturing technology,
which is becoming more environmentally respectful,
is delivering processed foods in a more ethical way.
Together with increased traceability and sustainability
of natural ingredients, brands can build honest product
stories that inspire, reassure and delight.
Food colors today aren’t just about visual appeal
or flavor illustration. Color is in itself a way for food
manufacturers to incarnate new consumer behaviors
and interests, such as social engagement. Think of
the buzz around Doritos 2015 rainbow corn chips to
support LGBT youth: special rainbow packs of Doritos,
raising money for an anti-homophobia charity sold out
in a few days.
The food industry isn’t just looking for manufacturers
that sell high quality natural ingredients, flavors and
colors. They need partners to inspire and help them
innovate to bring great new products and applications
to the market.
P.9
summary
key information
AT A GLANCE
IN EUROPE
IN AMERICAS AND ASIA,
CONSUMER ADVOCACY
PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE
LEGISLATION REGULATES
THE USE OF FOOD COLORING
73%
of US
consumers
65%
50%
AND
BLUE
69%
ASIA
PACIFIC
FOOD AND DRINKS
LAUNCHES USE
NATURAL COLORS
EUROPE
FOOD AND DRINKS
LAUNCHES USE
NATURAL COLORS
2015 FOOD
2016
SYNTHETIC
BRILLIANT
WANT TO SEE
FAMILIAR INGREDIENTS
IN THEIR FOOD
of European
consumers
89%
NORTHERN
AMERICA
FOOD AND DRINKS
LAUNCHES USE
NATURAL COLORS
BETWEEN
68%
of Chinese
consumers
DECIDED TO SWITCH
TO NATURAL COLORS
DUE TO CONSUMER
PRESSURES
SEVERAL MAJOR
COMPANIES
67%
LAUNCHES INVOLVING
BLUE OR
GREEN
OF FOOD AND DRINK
IN 2014 AND 2015
WAS STILL USED IN
NATURAL
COLORS
OPEN THE FIELD
OFFERS COLORING
FOODSTUFFS
OF VARIOUS SHADES
P.10
FOR
FUNNIER
HEALTHIER
MORE
CREATIVE
INNOVATIVE
FOOD
THAT SPEAKS TO
NEW GENERATIONS
OF CONSUMERS
OFFERS NATURAL FLAKES
& GLITTERS FOR A FUN
VISUAL IMPACT
Sources
1. Mintel, 2016 Food & Drink Trends, October 2015
2. Innova Market Insights, Consumer insights: Naturality,
naturalness, authenticity, safety, health & wellness,
July 2015
3. MarketsandMarkets, Food Colors Market by type,
applications and geography – Global Trends &
Forecasts To 2019, 2014
4. Food Navigator, Niamh Michail, Mars to ditch all artificial
colours from its entire global food portfolio, February
2016, available at: http://www.foodnavigator.com/
Market-Trends/Mars-M-M-s-free-of-artificial-colours
Confectionery News, Oliver Nieburg, Mars defends
artificial dyes and says natural switch ‘won’t happen
overnight’, February 2015, available at : http://www.
confectionerynews.com/Ingredients/Mars-defends-MM-s-artificial-colors-says-natural-switch-takes-time
5. Mintel, Ingredients Insight: Colours, July 2015
6. Innova Market Insights, Consumer insights: Naturality,
naturalness, authenticity, safety, health & wellness,
July 2015
7. Innova Market Insights, Consumer insights: Naturality,
naturalness, authenticity, safety, health & wellness,
July 2015
8. F MI (Future Market Insight), Natural Food Colours
Market : Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity
Assessment 2014-2020, 2015
9. Mintel, Ingredients Insight: Colours, July 2015
Design & supervision: Havas Worldwide Paris /
writing: Mensquare / pictures: Shutterstock.
Non-contractual pictures and illustrations.
10. National Geographic, Source of Half Earth’s
Oxygen Gets Little Credit, June 2004, available
at http://news.nationalgeographic.com/
news/2004/06/0607_040607_phytoplankton.html
11. Mintel, Ingredients Insight: Colours, July 2015
P.11
Our goal: Bringing you new ideas that will make a
difference, thanks to innovative and healthy products.
Your Natural Food team.
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