There is some good news on the horizon for consumers who need to avoid synthetic food dyes: Food manufacturers are listening to consumers’ demands to remove synthetic dyes from the food and several corporations are in the process of making that happen. Fortunately, food manufacturers now have a growing number of natural food coloring alternatives. These new alternatives are provided by companies that are specializing in the research and development of natural food dye sources that do not adversely affect texture or flavoring of the food.
Curious about why people would need to avoid synthetic food dyes? For more information on the research findings linking adverse health outcomes to the various synthetic food dyes common in U.S. processed foods, see our ‘Food Additives to Avoid Listing’ and our book, ‘The Food Hacker’s Handbook’.
Spotlight on Natural Food Coloring
FoodDive
“Natural colors are increasingly becoming a must-have for manufacturers and consumers. For manufacturers, there has been a 77% growth rate for new products using natural colors between 2009 and 2013. Other stats show 68% of all food and beverage products launched in North America from September 2015 to August 2016 used natural colors.
On the consumer end, 42% of global consumers — 29% in North America — say it’s very important to eat foods without artificial colors. And even though natural colors can be costly, 23% of North Americans are willing to pay a premium for them.” -Megan Poinski, Editor, Food Dive
As natural colors quickly become standard in the food business, here’s everything you need to know about this trend:
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True colors shining through: The rise of natural hues in food
Health concerns and consumer trends are leading manufacturers to use plants, fruits and vegetables to enhance the look of food.
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Sourcing the rainbow: Natural food color trends
In 2017, the race is on for manufacturers to find the perfect substitutes to the vibrant, synthetic shades people are accustomed to.
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The search for a true blue
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A CFL favorite:
No more Yellow 5: How manufacturers are making the natural colors switch
Chemical Free Life 