A volume in Woodhead Publishing Series in Food Science, Technology and Nutrition
2015, Pages 91–130
5 – An industry perspective on natural food colour stability
- Available online 6 February 2015
Abstract
The
Southampton six study revolutionized the way industry formulated
natural colours in food products. The replacement of artificial dyes has
been challenging due to compatibility issues of natural colours with
other food components, and led to gaps, for example, blue colours in
acidic pH matrices. In addition, natural colours or colouring foods are
more expensive, at a parity of colouring strengths, when compared to
artificial dyes. Finally, colour overdosing is almost inevitable due to
fast degradation, over processing and shelf life, and it is accompanied
by inconvenient taste/odour issues derived from the original ingredient
used to produce the colour. This chapter describes recent developments
in stabilization techniques to improve performances of natural colours,
as well as formulation strategies to limit losses during processing with
some of the most common solutions. The last part of this chapter
focuses on the necessity to develop new rapid methods to determine
whether natural solutions are suitable for use in relevant food
matrices.
Keywords
- Natural colours;
- Food applications;
- Anthocyanins;
- Carotenoids;
- Betalains;
- Chlorophyll;
- Spirulina;
- Gardenia blue;
- Colour stability
