COLOR INNOVATIONS | NATURAL BLUE Opening More Doors
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How do they make natural blue food coloring?

Natural blue food coloring comes from plant-based sources like spirulina, butterfly pea flower, gardenia, and more.

What are some natural blue food dye sources?

Natural blue color can come from plant-based sources like flowers, including butterfly pea flower and gardenia, or algae, like spirulina.

Are butterfly pea flower extracts safe to consume?

Butterfly pea flower extracts have been reviewed by the FDA as color additives that are safe for human consumption. Sensient’s butterfly pea flower extract solutions, like all of our botanically sourced natural colors, are held to strict safety and quality standards through the Certasure™ program.

What are the best natural blue food colorings for baking?

Because baking involves a heat step, the best natural blue food colorings are going to be those that are heat-stable. Butterfly pea flower extract is a bright blue color in neutral pH applications like baked goods that performs with excellent heat stability. For panned gems used in baking, try Sensient’s Marine Blue™ Azure, developed specifically for heat stability in confections for baking.

What plants make food coloring purple or green?

Blends of plant-based blue colors like spirulina and butterfly pea flower extract with either yellow (for green) or red (for purple) create a wide range of food coloring options. Chlorophyll is not approved in the U.S. or Canada for widespread use as a natural color.

Why is natural blue so hard to find in stores?

Very few plants or minerals in nature are naturally blue, limiting the availability of natural blue sources from which to extract color. Natural blue food colors like spirulina or butterfly pea flower extract are carefully developed and approved for use as color additives by regulatory bodies like the FDA and Health Canada.

What are some alternatives to synthetic blue dyes?

Nature’s rainbow includes bright blue alternatives to synthetic dyes like Blue 1 and Blue 2 including spirulina, butterfly pea flower extract, and gardenia.

What's the most stable natural purple color for drinks?

The most stable natural purple color for drinks is butterfly pea flower extract, which offers a unique purple hue in low pH applications like beverages with excellent stability.

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