Water-soluble plant colorants delivered in stable aggregate particles
A green-chemistry platform that encapsulates natural plant pigments (betalains and anthocyanins) into water-soluble, food-grade colloidal aggregate particles. The technology stabilizes color, enhances bioaccessibility, and enables spray-dried powder formats for scalable food and beverage applications.
Overview
This technology offers a sustainable approach to formulating natural plant pigments as water-soluble, shelf-stable colloidal aggregate particles. By complexing phytochemical pigments with food-grade carrier matrices such as proteins and polysaccharides, the platform protects color integrity, enhances biological activity, and improves bioaccessibility through the gastrointestinal tract. The approach targets two high-value pigment sources: betalains from underutilized prickly pear fruits and anthocyanins from elderberry pomace, a waste stream representing 25–40% of total fruit weight. These encapsulated pigments provide a natural alternative to synthetic colorants while delivering added health and functional benefits.
Technical specifications
Key features:
- Colloidal aggregate formation: Pigment molecules are concentrated within a protective matrix shell created through protein–polyphenol and polysaccharide–betalain interactions
- Green-chemistry process: Simple, efficient, sugar-free, and food-grade formulation compatible with industrial production
- Spray-dried powder format: Final product delivered as a powdered aggregate amenable to standard food industry scale-up methods
- Hypoallergenic potential: Matrix conformation alters allergenic epitopes on proteins, enabling hypoallergenic food protein ingredient formulation
- Flavor and color modulation: Sensory panel–validated ability to pleasantly modulate flavors while preserving color and hue
- Dual pigment sourcing: Betalains from prickly pear (Opuntia stricta) and anthocyanins from elderberry pomace, both rich natural sources
Technology readiness level
The platform is at an advanced stage of laboratory validation. The team has established the core green-chemistry formulation process and demonstrated stable colloidal aggregate formation with documented sensory and functional performance. Future validation efforts will focus on scaling spray-drying production, confirming shelf stability of the encapsulated pigments, and validating performance across betalain and anthocyanin sources derived from underutilized fruits and berry industry waste streams. The technology is positioned for pilot-scale demonstration and partnerships toward commercial food and beverage colorant applications.
About North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University is a large, comprehensive public land‑grant research university in Raleigh. Its on‑campus research and technology park co‑locates corporate R&D groups, government partners, and faculty labs, enabling shared facilities, prototyping, and agile contracting. Located in North Carolina’s Research Triangle, partners tap a dense regional ecosystem while engaging through a statewide extension network and a mature co‑op program that deliver field deployment and workforce pipelines. Multiple pilot and demonstration facilities support scale‑up and validation toward pre‑commercial readiness. Research is supported by competitive funding from major federal agencies, including NSF, USDA, DOE, and DOD, and a dedicated technology transfer office with clear IP pathways helps accelerate commercialization.
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