What are the current Trends in natural food colour development1
                     WHAT ARE THE 
CURRENT TRENDS IN 
NATURAL FOOD COLOUR 
DEVELOPMENT?
An Academic presentation by
Dr. Nancy Agnes, Head, Technical Operations, 
FoodResearchLab
Group:  www.foodresearchlab.com
Email: [email protected]
TOPIC DISCUSSION
• Introduction
• Natural food colours
• Research trends in natural 
food colour development 
• Conclusion  
INTRODUCTION
• Colour plays a vital role in the perception of food, and food 
scientists note that it is more important than the texture 
and flavour of food. 
• That is why food formulation scientists often add food 
colouring to enhance its overall appeal, for some colour is 
lost during processing. 
• The substances used to colour food can be natural 
compounds, synthetic dyes, or complete extracts of herbs 
or food added to impart colour. 
• The use of food colouring is nothing new to mankind. It 
has been in use since the historic times. Substances like 
pomegranates, saffron, turmeric and paprika were used for 
this purpose.  
NATURAL FOOD COLOURS 
• According to Rymbai et.al, natural food colours, 
also called biocolours are those agents that have 
a property of imparting colour to food. 
• They are obtained primarily from plants, 
although some have been extracted from algae, 
insects and animals. [1]
• Natural food colours are preferred to synthetic 
food colourings since they can impart as much 
colour as synthetic colour, are safer and 
contribute functional properties to food. [2]
NATURAL FOOD COLOURS
• Anthocyanins (E163)- Occurring naturally in blackberries, blueberries, black grapes, 
strawberries and red cabbage, they impart red, purple and deep blue colours to food. The 
colour they impart depends on the pH of the food, with red being acidic to blue being 
basic. They are water-soluble and used in jams, confectionery and beverages. They have 
the advantage of being rich in antioxidants, that aid in cell-defence mechanism. 
• Betalains (E162) – It imparts a red or pink colour. It is relatively sensitive to light, heat and 
oxygen and is therefore used for frozen, dried food and products with a shorter shelf life. 
The most common source of betalains is beetroot. Other sources of betalains that are 
explored include cactus pear juice, that can remain stable from pH 3 to 7. Betalains 
extracted from cactus pear juice possess antioxidant properties. In-vitro studies show that 
they have a potential to prevent cancer and cardio-vascular disease.[3].
• Carmine (E120) - Derived from the female cochineal extract, it gives a bright red colour. It 
is relatively stable to light, heat and oxygen but unstable in pH. It is used to colour meat, 
strawberry and cranberry-flavoured products and alcoholic beverages. [1, 3]. 
• Carotenoids (E160, E161) - Carotenoids are not only widely used in food but are also 
gaining importance in cosmetic, pharmaceutical and nutraceutical sectors. They are used 
to colour food with high fatty acid content.  They naturally occur in carrots as beta-
carotene. Beta- carotene can also be extracted from a fungus named Blakeslea trispora. 
Astaxanthin is derived from animal sources. Other sources of carotenoids are annatto and 
saffron. They impart yellow, orange and red colours.[3] 
• Curcumin (E100) - It is a yellow pigment found in turmeric, which is the most common 
colouring agent. It is renowned for its medicinal properties. [1, 3].
• Riboflavin (E101) - Riboflavin gives a yellow-orange colour to vitamin supplements. It is 
used as a fortifying agent in cereals and dairy products.   
• Carbon-black (E153) – It is formed by carbonizing vegetables and is used to colour 
cheese, jams, jellies, marmalades in the EU and other countries. 
• Caramel (E150) - Caramel is obtained by heating of carbohydrates with an alkali or acid 
and in some types, ammonium or sulphite or both are added. They are available in four 
types, with Type I being the lightest to Type IV being the darkest shade. Type IV is 
commonly used in soft drinks.[3] 

RESEARCH TRENDS IN NATURAL FOOD 
COLOUR DEVELOPMENT
•  A review of using hibiscus as a natural food colour, its extraction techniques and encapsulation 
of the pigment to prolong its shelf life. [4].
•  Using beta-cyanins extracted from Gomphrena globosa flowers to colour cookies. They have a 
potential to replace artificial pink colour. [5]. 
•  Using microbial pigments as a natural colouring agent, exploration of their biological 
properties, and applications in the pharmaceutical industry. [6]
•  Extraction of carotenoids from papaya- The extraction process was assisted by ultrasound, 
which could be used as a colourant for sausages. [7]
•  Phycocyanin from spirulina- Phycocyanin imparts a blue colour to food and beverages. The 
colour can be extracted from spirulina in 3 hours at room temperature. [8]
•  Natural colour extracted from black tea waste- This had a high number of antioxidants which 
was later used to colour jelly.[9]
•  Other research areas include the extraction of anthocyanins from passion fruit and raspberries.
[9, 10] 
CONCLUSION
• Natural food colour has been gaining more 
popularity recently due to increased 
awareness. Companies note that although the 
natural colour is expensive, it is still worth the 
effort. 
• However, the instability of natural colour 
poses a challenge that needs to be addressed. 
Innovations are underway in the discovery of 
new food colours.  
HOW FOOD RESEARCH 
LAB CAN HELP 
• We have a team of skilled experts who have h
elped 
formulate a new product
, or reformulate an existing product or make th
e product development process more economi
cal. 
• Our expertise also deals with making a food pr
oduct more attractive by studies on 
sensory and consumer science.  
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