Tomato-derived betanin for natural pink/red food coloring
Engineered tomato fruits that accumulate high levels of betanin, a natural red/pink pigment, without yellow betaxanthin contribution. This tomato-based production system offers a water-compatible, plant-produced alternative to synthetic colorants, with demonstrated long-term stability in solution and potential for scalable, cost-effective production.
Overview
We have developed engineered tomato fruits that accumulate high levels of betanin, producing a clean pink/red color suitable for natural food coloring. The biosynthetic pathway was deliberately designed without the gene required for yellow betaxanthin formation, ensuring the fruit accumulates betanin without yellow pigment contribution. The result is a high-pigment, tomato-based production system offering a water-compatible, plant-produced alternative to synthetic red/pink colorants.
The pigment has demonstrated long-term stability for more than one year in refrigerated sugar solution. Tomato is a high-yield crop that may support scalable and cost-effective production of natural colorants for food applications.
Technical specifications
Key features:
- Engineered tomato fruits accumulate high levels of betanin, a natural red/pink pigment
- Pathway design excludes yellow betaxanthin formation, yielding a clean color profile
- Water-compatible pigment suitable for food coloring
- Demonstrated stability exceeding one year in refrigerated sugar solution
- Tomato is a high-yield crop supporting potential scalable, cost-effective production
Validation focus:
- Evaluating color retention during extrusion at elevated temperatures and subsequent ambient storage
- Characterizing pigment concentration and color in target food matrices
- Optimizing extraction, concentration, and formulation conditions toward a practical food-color ingredient
Technology readiness level
The tomato-based betanin production system is at an advanced research stage. Engineered tomatoes reliably produce high levels of betanin, and the pigment has shown long-term stability in solution. Staged validation is planned to evaluate performance under extrusion and storage conditions relevant to commercial food processing. One component of the engineered pathway is covered by third-party intellectual property held by the University of Wisconsin–Madison, which has indicated openness to commercial licensing.
About Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry
The Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry (IPB) is a non‑university research institute in Halle (Saale), Germany, located on the Weinberg Campus technology park with extensive shared laboratories and research infrastructure. Industry partners access co‑located analytical and imaging platforms—metabolomics, MS/NMR, advanced microscopy—supported by greenhouses, phytochambers, and a small test field. Close ties and joint appointments with Martin Luther University Halle‑Wittenberg connect companies to talent and collaborative research. Work is backed by competitive German federal and EU programs, and a patents‑and‑licensing function publishes technology offers to enable commercialization.
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