Beverage R&D

During Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, she and her fans associated certain colors with each of her albums (or eras). Blue and green meant debut, while red obviously referred to “Red.” All of Swift’s albums have a different aesthetic and color(s) linked to it. Her latest, “The Life of a Showgirl,” album features the colors orange and teal.

The beverage world experiences color associations as well, with consumers affiliating certain colors with certain benefits. However, recent government regulations are having an impact on the beverage colors market.

Stephen Lauro, president of Anaheim, Calif.-based colormaker Inc., notes that most food and beverage processors formulated FD&C Red No. 3, or erythrosine, out of their products years ago. Few processed foods or beverages contain erythrosine, he adds, which is good news.

“The bad news is that processors substituted FD&C Red No. 40 (Allura red) in its place,” Lauro says. “As a result, colormaker has numerous special projects to remove FD&C No. 40 from foods and beverages and replace it with natural red colors.”

He points to carmine, an FDA-approved color additive exempt from certification, that is a strong, deep, wine-red color.

“Carmine is heat-stable, light stable and generally pH stable above pH 3.0,” Lauro explains. “Despite its functional properties, carmine red is not popular.”

He notes that, although the FDA recently delisted FD&C Red No. 3, it approved Galdieri blue extract, butterfly pea power extract, calcium phosphate and gardenia blue, which are all exempt from certification as “natural colors” available for food and beverage processors to improve the visual appearance of their finished products.

“The simple idea is that, where the FDA may take away some or all artificial colors, it will approve other natural colors to use in their place,” Lauro says. “While this simple idea looks straight forward, it is anything but. Natural colors are not as heat-stable, light stable or pH stable as artificial colors. In addition, natural colors are far weaker than artificial colors, making their cost-of-use significantly higher.”

In fact, Lauro states that natural colors might cost as much as 10 times higher than artificial colors.

Phil Cook, head of strategic marketing at Oterra, Mt. Pleasant, Wis., says that, while legislation has changed the business environment more in favor of natural colors, consumer perceptions and opinions have played a large role in pushing for legislative change.

“A recent poll made for IFT First showed that three-quarters of American consumers are concerned or somewhat concerned about consuming food and beverages containing artificial dyes,” he shares. “There has been a steady growth of interest in natural alternatives to artificial colors for many years. That was one of the many reasons why Oterra was created.”

The company invested in a new research, development and production facility in the United States. The announcement that the FDA wanted to phase out artificial colors soon has led to further interest in natural alternatives, Cook adds.

“Statewide changes in legislation are not always consistent, with some regulations coming into effect sooner than others and affecting different food types,” he describes. “It is a tricky choice for beverage manufacturers to know what to do and more importantly, when. So, we have seen more approaches for manufacturers looking to see what is possible with natural colors.”

Kelly Newsome, director of global product marketing of colors and savory flavors at ADM, Chicago, says that U.S. manufacturers are increasingly looking to replace FD&C synthetic color additives with colors derived from natural sources.

“We anticipate this shift will inevitably lead to greater opportunities for color innovations and optimized solutions made from a wide range of natural sources, as well as better delivery technology, extraction techniques and optimized performance across applications, including beverages,” Newsome notes. “The move toward colors derived from natural sources is already well underway, as many food and beverage companies incorporate familiar, closer-to-nature ingredients that support clean label objectives. Consumers looking for on-pack labeling that aligns with their clean label preferences are placing sharper focus on colors to guide their beverage purchasing decisions.”

As Newsome shared, natural and organic trends are influencing color choices in beverages.

“Natural colors play directly into the trends of natural and organic, with many consumers associating not only that products with natural and organic ingredients are healthier for them, but they also taste better,” Ottera’s Cook says. “And many customers are also willing to pay more for natural products.”

In most regulations, Cook notes that organic products are allowed to have non-organic ingredients up to around 5% of the total, and that has usually been taken up by traditional colors.

“With certified organic natural colors, that leaves 5% open for other things,” he says. “So, if it is an organic, functional beverage that could be a functional ingredient, which is usually harder to get from organic sources.”

Alice Lee, technical marketing manager at Dallas, N.C.-based GNT USA LLC, shares that, traditionally, brands would use naturalistic colors for natural and organic drinks.

“Today, the approach has shifted,” Lee says. “We’re seeing more striking and unexpected shades that help brands tell a story and stand out. Bold colors can spotlight a hero ingredient, whether that’s blue spirulina, turmeric, hibiscus or matcha.”

That brings visual appeal while also creating a strong connection to what’s inside the bottle, she adds.

Other beverage trends are impacting color solutions as well.

GNT’s Lee feels that limited-time offerings (LTOs) drive a lot of innovation within the colors segment.

“LTOs create excitement and a sense of urgency because consumers don’t want to miss out, but products need to get noticed to be successful,” she explains. “Brands can use high-impact colors such as blues and greens to catch the eye. They can even offer shade-shifting drinks to create intrigue and shareability.”

At the same time, Lee says that layered and textured color experiences are gaining traction, especially in foodservice.

“Think of sunset-inspired gradients or drinks that combine bright powders with boba or pearls to deliver multiple textures and hues,” she states. “These kinds of novel, interactive color experiences not only grab attention, but also build engagement and repeat traffic for brands.”

Meanwhile, Oterra’s Cook notes that functional beverages are becoming increasingly popular, and color plays an important role in highlighting the function and naturality of these products.

“But added ingredients like vitamins, minerals and botanicals can affect stability, so it requires in-depth knowledge to find the best match for functional products from a wide portfolio of natural food colors and formulations,” he explains.

More specifically, Cook says that, although energy drinks have often been perceived as artificial, consumer demand is driving the industry toward more natural solutions with less sugar and that are free from artificial ingredients.

“Each energy drink’s blend of minerals, active ingredients and flavors influences how colors perform,” he states. “Added vitamins, minerals and ingredients like caffeine can have a significant effect on the stability of natural colors and requires thorough investigation to find the best solution.”

Notably, a fast-growing application within energy drinks are powdered drinks aimed at gamers, Cook adds, and bright colors are essential to these brands.

“This has made some producers nervous about using natural colors, fearing that they can’t reproduce the same vibrancy,” he says. “However, innovation in breeding more concentrated pigments and better production technology to produce finely milled powders has narrowed the gap significantly. The smaller particle size creates more intense color because there is a larger surface area to reflect light, and it mixes in better directly to the product.”

Cook expresses that this particularly gives powdered beverages an intense shade both before and after dilution. Additionally, packaging format can impact color choices.

“In aluminum cans, the range of natural colors is wide open since light stability is not an issue,” he shares. “For PET or glass bottles, we recommend selecting pigments with good light stability or stabilizing pigments with encapsulation.”

Interest in natural colors continues to make the rounds in food and beverage manufacturing. In October, Walmart U.S. announced it was moving to eliminate synthetic dyes and the use of 30 additional ingredients, including artificial sweeteners, from its private brand products.

“Our customers have told us that they want products made with simpler, more familiar ingredients — and we’ve listened,” said John Furner, president and CEO of Walmart U.S., in a statement. “By eliminating synthetic dyes and other ingredients, we’re reinforcing our promise to deliver affordable food that families can feel good about.”

The move away from synthetic dyes comes as part of Walmart’s plan to evolve its private brands in response to changing customer preferences, it says. According to a survey from Walmart, its customers are increasingly interested in what is in their food, with 62% of customers saying they want more transparency and 54% saying they review food ingredients.

Walmart said it is working with private brand suppliers to adjust formulations and source alternative ingredients, all “while preserving the same great taste customers have come to expect.” The retailer’s customers will begin seeing reformulated products rolling out over the coming months, it notes.

“Consumers want beverages that are both better-for-you and deliver excitement. Color plays a huge role here — it can highlight natural ingredients, create Instagram-worthy moments or signal premium positioning.”

– Alice Lee, technical marketing manager at GNT USA LLC

Benefits of beverages using natural colors

Despite the noted challenges, when working with natural colors, beverage formulators can experience certain perks.

Colors made from fruits, vegetables and plants are more consumer-friendly than synthetic alternatives, GNT’s Lee says.

“In the U.S., if you color your beverage with carrot and blackcurrant concentrate, you can label it simply as ‘fruit and vegetable juice for color,’” she shares. “That helps brands connect with shoppers through familiar, recognizable ingredients. Importantly, natural doesn’t have to mean muted.”

Consumers are drawn to bright, appealing shades, Lee says, so as brands move away from artificial colors, it’s important to deliver the same level of vibrancy and visual appeal they expect.

“It’s possible to achieve a complete spectrum of shades with plant-based colors in most beverage applications, but they do require careful formulation,” she states.

There can be a variety of challenges depending on the beverage-makers target shade, the application and the packaging, Lee adds, but GNT has “extensive experience” in helping customers successfully launch plant-based colors in an array of beverage products.

“We work closely with manufacturers to find the best solution for their specific requirements and will verify performance over the shelf life through accelerated and real-time stability tests,” she notes.

ADM’s Newsome echoes similar sentiments regarding natural colors attracting consumers, especially when these claims are featured on packaging.

“There have been substantial technological advancements in recent years to accommodate the growing desire for colors from natural sources,” she says. “ADM helps beverage brands solve common formulation challenges in this space, including vibrancy, intensity, stability and consistency.”

Color emulsion technology is particularly crucial for beverages, Newsome adds. ADM’s patented clear emulsion technology transforms the intrinsic solubility of materials derived from natural sources into easy-to-use color solutions, she explains.

“Our emulsions are available in oil-in-water or water-in-oil systems to help beverage manufacturers formulate heat- and light-stable colors without opacity, delivering on visual appeal and meeting clean label demands,” Newsome says. “Certain colorants, such as paprika or beta-carotene, are oil-soluble, which means they are incompatible with water base formulations like beverages. As such, oil-soluble colors need to be emulsified so they can be incorporated into a water base.”

ADM’s emulsion technology provides this critical step, supports even color distribution and ensures colors do not stain or bleed, she shares. The company’s extraction and deodorization technologies provide further stability by removing starches, sugars and proteins from its naturally derived colors, which Newsome says ensures the shades do not have inherent off-notes or off-aromas.

Oterra’s Cook says that natural colors deliver vibrancy, eye-catching shelf appeal and alignment with the natural positioning that today’s shoppers demand.

“With expert guidance, brands can convert existing artificial colors or develop bold, new shades for upcoming launches,” he explains. “Since color in the U.S. is only labeled as ‘added color,’ U.S. consumers have had difficulty understanding what natural colors are, but our experience is that, when explained, they are encouraged by claims that promise the presence of natural colors.”

Oterra’s recent poll showed that consumers are concerned about the presence of artificial colors, and beverages were among the categories that consumers were most concerned about, Cook shares.

“Soft drinks and sodas was the category that consumers found the most worrying, with 54% expressing concern about the level of artificial colors,” he says. “This was followed by juice and juice drinks (46%) and sports drinks (44%).”

A bright future

As for what’s next for color concepts, beverage-makers must meet consumer expectations in terms of color, taste and naturalness. Experts share their expectations on the future.

“Consumers want beverages that are both better-for-you and deliver excitement,” GNT’s Lee says. “Color plays a huge role here — it can highlight natural ingredients, create Instagram-worthy moments or signal premium positioning. For us, it always comes back to one question: how can color elevate the experience?”

GNT’s in-house culinary team develops gold-standard concepts that show how color can do more than look appealing, she states. The team uses color to reinforce ingredient stories, inspire new flavor combinations and create multi-sensory experiences that engage consumers in unexpected ways, Lee adds.

Recent concepts from GNT include a yuzu umeboshi lemonade with a dual color layer and a Southern peach fizz that features sunset colors.

ADM’s Newsome says that evidence from customers and the marketplace indicates consumers are seeking nourishment for their body, mind and soul.

“They are proactively purchasing products with functional ingredients that can support their individual wellness goals, and consumers consistently associate specific colors with various aspects of well-being,” she shares.

Recent ADM research found that U.S. consumers often associate green, blue and orange colors with key wellness benefits such as weight management, digestive health, energy, immune health, sleep/relaxation, hydration, cognitive health and more.

“By pairing certain colors with science-backed ingredients, beverage companies can help consumers connect the dots from external appearance to functional benefits, leveraging visual appeal to drive product success,” Newsome says. “ … On the horizon, we foresee a growing attraction to orange and yellow tones as a reflection of consumers’ priority on lifelong wellness, joy and authenticity. Imagine buttery yellows, warm yellow-oranges, vivid citrusy oranges and rich reddish oranges that evoke a beautiful sunrise. These vivacious colors will pop off the shelf in sports drinks, ready-to-drink (RTD) smoothies, energy drinks, CSDs, flavored waters and so much more.”

Oterra’s Cook feels there is still room for innovation in natural colors to replace some of the artificial colors that still perform particularly well.

“Bright blues and greens are notoriously difficult to achieve in beverages,” he says. “Oterra’s Jungle Blue goes some way to replace Blue 1 and 2, although colors are not exactly the same. Jungle Blue is a naturally sourced deep blue, approved in markets such as the U.S.A., Mexico, Brazil and India and from 2025, under CODEX, for fruit-flavored energy drinks.”

During the past 10 years or so, Cook states that natural colors have come a long way.

“Increases in strength and improved delivery systems have made their use easier and more effective,” he says. “There are still gaps, however, and these are where colors can develop.

“Light-stable, bright natural blues for beverages are a challenge, as are transparent oranges and yellows,” Cook concludes. “These are important shades, especially in the U.S., and will be the focus of a lot of innovations.”