A Changing Regulatory Landscape

Red colors are widely used in the global food and beverage market, but a changing regulatory landscape is creating an interesting environment for color additives.

In 2023, California became the first state to ban FD&C Red 3, among other food additives, when they passed the California Food Safety Act, which will go into effect in 2027. Other states, including Washington, Illinois, and New York, have followed suit in introducing legislation that would ban Red 3. States are turning their attention to other synthetic colors, as well. 

In May of 2024 California introduced the School Food Safety Act that would ban Red 40, Yellow 5 and 6, Green 3, Blue 1 and 2, and Titanium Dioxide from foods and beverages in public schools. Similarly, Pennsylvania introduced legislation that would ban Red 40, Yellow 5 and 6, and Blue 1 and 2 statewide, also proposed to go into effect in 2027. 

Other states, however, have opposed state-level legislation, deferring to the FDA to propose food additive regulations. As a result of the uncertainty in regulations surrounding colors in the US, consumer and manufacturer interest in natural alternatives to synthetics continues to grow.

One of these natural alternatives comes from Givaudan Sense Colour in the form of their Amaize^® line of corn-derived anthocyanin colors. “With the growing shift toward natural colors, we had to identify sources of natural reds that could meet the needs of today and in the future,” said Jason Armao, SVP Science & Innovation, Givaudan Sense Colour. “Corn was a clear winner - it’s easily recognizable by the consumer, grown across the globe, efficient to transport and store, has a transparent supply chain, is cost effective, and is easily scalable.”

Givaudan Sense Colour’s new Amaize^® Orange-Red provides a close color match to FD&C Red 40 for beverages, confections, and snack seasonings. 

| Photo: Givaudan Sense Colour

Cultivating Corn for Color

Purple corn, like black/purple carrot, provides a bright red color from anthocyanins, and has been cultivated in the Americas for millennia. Though not exactly with the characteristics required to produce a cost-effective source of red color.  

“There are several factors we consider when working to optimize the corn,“ Armao says. “Obviously we are interested in increasing the yield of extractable color, or anthocyanins, to achieve an affordable source of red color with an efficient dosage in finished applications. However, other considerations are important, such as crop yield, pest and disease resistance, how the corn stands and holds up to weather, and ensuring the corn is suitable for the desired growing area and season.”   

He points out that while corn can cause some concern around genetically modified crops, Givaudan Sense Colour works with agronomy partners that use traditional breeding techniques, a process that is time and labor intensive, taking between 5-10 years to achieve a desirable hybrid, and the final product is Non-GMO Project Verified. 

“The breeding process itself requires specialists in corn agronomy, thousands of hours in a nursery, and many different forms of analysis that facilitate decision making as you work toward developing the desired color and strength,” he says.

A Range of Reds 

Corn also offers a range of possibilities for creating different hues, ranging from pink-red to more orange-y red, Katie Rountree, Regional Product Manager, Americas for Givaudan Sense Colour, explains.

“One thing we’re excited about is that corn can be bred to produce different shades,” she says. “Amaize^® Red was the first color we released under our Amaize^® line back in 2018. It has a nice pink-red shade that is close in hue to elderberry or black carrot. 

Our new product that we just launched at IFT this year was developed to be more orange-red, similar to red radish but without the vegetal taste and aroma. That makes it a great choice for developers who are looking for natural alternatives to red 40 with a simple label and a neutral taste, especially with the changing regulatory landscape in the US.”

Rountree adds that, like other anthocyanins, Amaize^® red and Amaize^® orange-red have excellent stability to heat and light. They’re available in powder and liquid forms and are suitable for low pH applications including beverages, confections, fruit preps, ice lollies, sorbets, and snack seasonings.