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Lycored promotes natural colours

Carotenoids company Lycored says that it has overcome the most common technical problems with natural colours to develop a range of vibrant reds, oranges and yellows that make it easy for food and beverage manufacturers to ditch artificial ingredients for good. Natural colours from Lycored are certified Kosher and Halal, non-GMO, vegetarian and are heat, […]

Carotenoids company Lycored says that it has overcome the most common technical problems with natural colours to develop a range of vibrant reds, oranges and yellows that make it easy for food and beverage manufacturers to ditch artificial ingredients for good.

Natural colours from Lycored are certified Kosher and Halal, non-GMO, vegetarian and are heat, light and pH stable. They give an authentic appearance to a wide range of products time after time – but not at the expense of a clean label.

Available in the Lycored natural colourings range are two core offerings:

• Tomat-O-Red – created using tomato-derived lycopene, it is said to offer a more technically sound red colouring alternative to unstable beetroot and anthocyanins, as well as carmine, which is not vegetarian-friendly. It is, says the company, perfect for use in fruit preparations, dairy products, confectionery, meat, baked goods and beverages. Lycored’s lycopene is highly stable under a wide range of pH, ascorbic acid and high-temperature conditions.
• Lyc-O-Beta – sourced from Blakeslea trispora, a beta-carotene-rich, allergen-free natural fungus cultivated by Lycored. Natural beta-carotene extracted from Blakeslea Trispora offers a spectrum of yellow to orange shades for use in bakery, fillings, confectionery, dairy and beverages.

Both ingredients are available in liquid formats in a range of different formulations designed to deliver varying levels of colour intensity. They are approved for use as food colourants in the US, EU, Japan and Australia.

Tomat-O-Red and Lyc-O-Beta are said to offer specific application benefits. In beverages, they are light-stable and stable alongside added healthy ingredients such as Vitamin C. They are, claims Lycored,  perfect for dairy products because they are stable in pasteurisation and most UHT processes, and when used in fruit yoghurts they will not bleed into the white mass. In confectionery, meanwhile, they offer a safe, natural and visually appealing colour.

“There’s huge pressure on food and beverage manufacturers to use natural colours but this can cause a range of technical problems at the point of production,” said Tamara Higgins, Lycored’s Global Category Manager for Coloration. “Our natural colours portfolio has been designed to offer the best of everything ­– naturalness and superb appearance, but not at the expense of performance and functionality. With our colours, your food and beverage products won’t just look fantastic, but they’ll also be natural, safe and stable – everything today’s retailers and consumers want and expect.”