Nature’s Rainbow in Oil-Based Applications
Oil and Water Don’t Mix?
We all know the saying that oil and water don’t mix, but it’s easy to forget that solubility has a huge impact on the success of natural colors in oil- or water-based food and beverage products. Botanically sourced colors that are naturally water soluble, for example, will be difficult if not impossible to mix into applications that have no water activity – only oil or fat.
Although I always recommend connecting with a natural food color expert to determine the best fit for your formulation, you can get a head start by understanding which colors are most likely to work. Shades of orange and yellow are more commonly oil-soluble in nature, whereas botanical red sources like red radish and beet are often water-soluble.
While some colors, like annatto, have both oil- and water-soluble options available, others need more careful consideration. Turmeric is naturally oil-soluble. It will blend beautifully into recipes that have an oil or fat component, such as a compound coating. However, an emulsion will be required in order for it to enable its use in water-based applications.
When an oil- or water-soluble natural color is utilized in an application that is not compatible, there are several risks as follows:
Achieving a Rainbow Regardless of Solubility
Compound coatings, morsels, and sprinkles are prime examples of oil-based applications where a water-soluble color would be the wrong choice. So how can developers unleash nature’s full rainbow in oil-based applications?
Sensient’s solution is Microfine™, a natural color technology that creates vibrant water-soluble powders that also disperse in oil-based products.
Watch this webinar to learn more about natural colors in oil-based applications like coatings, cremes, morsels, and other oil-based products:
Extra Clean Label Solutions
For product developers dealing with extra-strict clean label requirements, our R&D team recently launched Simplifine™, an extension of the Microfine™ portfolio. This extra clean solution offers a rainbow that is free of preservatives and meets stringent “no-no list” requirements.
If you’re ready to sample any of the natural colors I showed in the webinar, start a request now! If you have any questions that we did not address, let me know—I love to talk color!
