Natural Plant-Based Colorant Formulations for Beverages

Overview

FoodPhenoLab is developing natural, plant-based colorant formulations derived from agro-food sources to replace synthetic dyes in beverages. The research focuses on flavylium-based colorants — naturally occurring pigment compounds found in fruits, vegetables, and edible plants — and explores how combining them with other food ingredients can produce a broad palette of stable, vibrant colors. By starting at the plant source and engineering molecular interactions, the team delivers clean-label solutions that meet consumer demand for natural ingredients while addressing the food industry's need for reliable, stable hues in yellow, red, and blue ranges.

Technical specifications

Core approach:

• Selection and blending of distinct flavylium-based extracts from fruits, vegetables, and other edible plants
• Addition of active compounds — including biopolymers (polysaccharides, proteins), metal ions, and other plant-based molecules — to promote synergistic interactions
• Engineering of non-covalent, covalent, inter- and intramolecular interactions, as well as supramolecular complex formation, to stabilize specific colors
• Use of metal- and protein-driven complexation to achieve and stabilize natural blue color, historically a challenging hue in natural food colorants
• Physicochemical characterization and color stability testing under varying experimental conditions

Key advantages:

• Broad color palette from a single natural pigment class
• Enhanced solubility in water for beverage compatibility
• Improved physicochemical stability through molecular formulation strategies
• Clean-label positioning aligned with consumer and regulatory trends

Technology readiness level

The technology is grounded in extensive prior research on the chemistry of flavylium-based colorants, with demonstrated ability to modulate color through molecular interactions. FoodPhenoLab has a track record of industry collaboration in food colorant development. The next phase involves designing science-based, customized formulations, blending plant extracts, and validating physicochemical and color stability under real-world conditions. The approach is positioned for continued development toward commercial beverage applications.