Plant-based colours can bring the best out of confectionery
Colours made from fruit, vegetables and plants can deliver a full rainbow of shades in almost any confectionery application, writes Alison Donaldson, Technical Sales Manager at GNT Group
Colour is key to creating appetizing confectionery – and the choice of colouring ingredient can be every bit as vital.
FMCG Gurus research shows 67% of South African consumers say it is important that food and drink products do not contain artificial colours.1 More than eight in ten also say they find natural claims appealing in confectionery.2 Despite this, the most common coloring ingredients used in sugar and gum confectionery in South Africa last year were artificial: Brilliant Blue FCF, Allura Red AC, Sunset Yellow FCF, and Quinoline Yellow.3
Our plant-based, sustainable EXBERRY® colours can provide a perfect alternative. Made from non-GMO fruits, vegetables, plants, algae, and seeds, they allow for natural ingredient declarations including clean-label options such as “concentrate of carrot and blueberry.”
EXBERRY® colours are available in a variety of formats and can be used to deliver a full spectrum of shades in confectionery applications including gummies, high-boiled candies, hard - and soft -panned products, pressed tablets, chocolate, and aerated products.
RED: Our red colours are made from raw materials including sweet potato, black carrot, and blackcurrant. These concentrates are based on the natural anthocyanin pigments found in the fruit and vegetables. They are not heat-sensitive but can cause a colour shift with changing pH values. For marshmallows, which are typically not acidified, anthocyanin-containing red shades are not appropriate, but very good results can be achieved with other EXBERRY® reds and pinks.
ORANGE: EXBERRY® can deliver orange shades using concentrates made from raw materials including paprika and carrot. Occasionally, they can shift yellow in appearance in the presence of high fat, extended heat, or shear. In such cases, alternative orange shades can be achieved by blending plant-based yellow and red colours. EXBERRY® Annatto, meanwhile, is an oil-soluble natural color with high intensity that can provide an effective option for fat-based applications such as chocolate.
YELLOW: Yellow concentrates can be made from raw materials such as safflower, pumpkin, carrot, and turmeric. Safflower offers good heat and light stability. Turmeric-based concentrates can be used to create vibrant shades but the choice of packaging is important due to light sensitivity. EXBERRY® Carotenes, made from algae, are available in multiple formats that allow them to deliver effective results in products ranging from marshmallows to chocolate.
BLUE: The popular superfood spirulina can be used to deliver vibrant blue shades. For best results, it is important to minimise heat exposure as much as possible or – if that isn’t possible – slightly increase the dosage. Spirulina-based colours are also sensitive to acid, so any acid used in the formulation should be blended in well before adding the spirulina.
GREEN: It is possible to achieve vibrant shades from turquoise to lime green in a wide range of applications by blending blue spirulina concentrates with yellow raw materials such as turmeric and safflower.
PURPLE: Purple concentrates are made from raw materials including carrots and blueberries, which offer good heat and light stability but can be affected by pH levels. It is also possible to achieve purple and lavender hues by mixing spirulina concentrates with red and pink colours.
PINK: Colour concentrates made from raw materials such as sweet potato and carrot can provide an excellent source of pink hues in low-pH applications and are fairly heat- and light-stable. Beetroot concentrates, meanwhile, are not
pH-sensitive but heating requirements must be considered, particularly for high-boil candies.
BROWN: EXBERRY® can deliver brown shades using concentrates made from caramelised carrot and apple in the vast majority of applications. Apple and hibiscus concentrates can also be used for aerated gums, marshmallows, and high-boil confectionery. A blend of carrot, safflower, and spirulina, meanwhile, is effective in gummies, jellies, hard- and soft-panned confectionery. For this product, pH is an important consideration, with low levels delivering reddish brown hues and higher levels delivering a darker brown shade.
Support every step
of the way
GNT can help you find the perfect solution for your project. We provide full support throughout the entire product development process, from concept innovation and colour matching through to stability testing, upscaling, and regulatory support.
With our vast portfolio of plant-based EXBERRY® colours, it’s possible to create vibrant confectionery with the natural ingredient lists consumers want to see.
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