The Importance of Color in Complex Beverage Systems
FOOD AND DRINK BUSINESS, December - January 2005, p 30
Colour has the ability to shape consumer preferences. Visual appeal is the first and most important aspect of beverages to attract consumers. In the beverage industry today, DD Williamson’s customers are requesting technical assistance in addition to its expanded product line of caramel color liquids, powders, and burnt sugars. “Today’s complex beverage systems require technical assistance in formulating the right color,” says Peter Comline, European sales manager, DD Williamson (UK) Ltd. “The variables we watch out for are heat, light, pH extremes and various charged compounds.”
The leading beverage coloring ingredient is caramel color. It is used in carbonated beverages such as colas, root beer and ginger ale, due to its stability in low pH solution. Caramel color is also used in drinks like beer, cider, shandy, scotch whiskey, coffee, and tea-based beverages. Drink mixes formulated with caramel color include instant chocolate milk, hot cocoa mix, cappuccino mix, fruit drink mix and powdered soft drinks. DD Williamson sees growth in new age beverages and energy drinks combining caramel colors with other natural colors.
Some caramel colors contribute to a beverage’s flavour profile. DD Williamson’s gas chromatograph with a mass spectrometer detector separates a caramel color’s taste and flavour profiles. This testing makes possible the ability to develop a standard flavour profile for the company’s products. Furthermore, DD Williamson now has the ability to manufacture custom caramel colors, which might include a malt-flavoured caramel for beer, a molasses-flavoured caramel for baking, and a coffee-noted Class I caramel.
DD Williamson, the world leader in caramel color, operates seven manufacturing facilities on five continents. Its operations in Europe, North America, Africa, and Asia have earned the rigorous ISO 9000 certification. In January 2004, DD Williamson acquired Cargill’s Cerestar caramel operation in Manchester, England, adding to its existing European plant capacity in Cork, Ireland. The two facilities in Europe produce more then 50 types of caramel color. Every day, more than one billion servings of food and beverages containing DD Williamson caramel color are consumed around the world. Visit www.caramel.com for more information.