As featured in FOOD PRODUCT DESIGN magazine.  Exerpt reproduced below with permission from the editors.

Formulating a Clean Label

By Cindy Hazen 
Contributing Editor

...Colorful quandaries

Contrary to popular belief, there is no such thing as “natural color” according to U.S. regulations. “Natural colorants are loosely defined by the industry as those colorants that are derived from agricultural, biological and mineral sources; are obtained with simple extraction processes; and have a long history of safe usage,” says Stephen Lauro, president, colorMaker, Inc., Anaheim, CA. “While industry operates with this working definition of natural colorants, FDA takes an entirely different approach. FDA does not recognize natural colorants. Rather, FDA regulates two distinct types of color additives: certified and exempt from certification. Color additives exempt from certification are commonly known as natural colors.” These exempt colors are listed in Title 21 Code of Federal Regulations Part 73.

Some exempt color additives can be synthetically prepared. “In this event, the synthetically prepared color additives are believed to be identical in chemistry to the molecules produced in nature,” Lauro continues. “Such color additives are known as nature-identical. The most-common form of a nature-identical color additive exempt from certification is beta carotene.”

Unlike artificial colors, most natural colors display sensitivities to light, pH, heat and other ingredients, like ascorbic acid or minerals. “These sensitivities compromise the shelf stability of natural colorants,” says Lauro. “Not all natural colorants display the same sensitivities. Turmeric is very sensitive to light, while caramel color is not. Red cabbage extract is sensitive to changes in pH, while lycopene is not. Beet juice is very sensitive to heat, while carmine is not.”

Carefully consider storage, packaging, processing and product parameters when selecting natural colorants. “Some natural colorants, particularly anthocyanins such as red radish extract and red cabbage extract, can add an off-odor and/or a vegetable-flavor note,” Lauro cautions. “While such flavor contributions are minor, they can be noticeable in lightly flavored beverages or in some ethnic cuisines, such as Oriental soups.”

For ice cream, Lauro recommends beet juice. Because it is sensitive to heat, it fares well in cold desserts.

Carmine is generally stable to light, pH and heat. At different concentrations it can produce a light-pink to a dark, wine-red hue. “Unfortunately, carmine is neither kosher nor vegan, because it is derived from an insect,” he says. “Further, beginning in Jan. of 2008, all products containing carmine must declare it as such on the ingredient list. The phrase ‘color added’ may not be used for carmine after Jan. 2008.”

Grape skin extract is permitted as a color additive exempt from certification in beverages, while grape juice is permitted as a color additive exempt from certification in non-beverage products. “While these regulations are clear, in practice grape skin extract and grape juice are often used interchangeably,” Lauro says. “Both are good choices in beverages where, at an acidic pH, they are red. However, both grape skin extract and grape juice are somewhat sensitive to heat and, therefore, should be thoroughly tested in food or beverage products subjected to heat processing. Finally, grape skin extract is typically not available kosher-certified, while grape juice is.”

Nothing colors salt as vibrantly as paprika oleoresin.

“Some paprika extracts also contribute flavor and heat (capsaicin), depending on how the extract has been processed,” Lauro warns. “Paprika oleoresin finds limited application in foods and beverages, primarily because it is truly oil-soluble. Most food and beverage products are aqueous systems.” Its color comes from its xanthophylls, capsanthin, capsorubin (red) and beta carotene (yellow), and it is somewhat light-sensitive.

Turmeric provides a bright-yellow color and comes in two forms. Turmeric oleoresin is oil-soluble or water dispersible, depending on how it is prepared. Curcumin powder is an insoluble, bright-yellow powder. “Both turmeric oleoresin and curcumin powder are sensitive to light,” Lauro says. “The most-common applications for turmeric are pickles, where it is used to pump up the green color of the cucumber, and mustard, where it is used as the primary color.”

Caramel color is produced by heating sugar and other carbohydrates, sometimes with acid, under strictly controlled conditions, for an array of brownish hues. A small amount of caramel color can standardize products where color variation occurs from other natural ingredients. Additionally, it can add color depth by subduing bright colors. Caramel color is unaffected by pH or heat processing. There are four classes of caramel color that are stable in different environments.

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