What colors are approved in pet food?

In the U.S., colors used in pet food must be approved for their intended use by the FDA and comply with AAFCO guidelines. Common approved options include certain synthetics (for example, FD&C colors where permitted for pet use) and a range of natural sources like turmeric, paprika, caramel color, and fruit/vegetable concentrates, provided they meet applicable specifications. Solutions like Vertafine™ are approved by the FDA and AAFCO for use as a natural color in pet food and treats and are designed to be an extrusion-stable natural green pet food color.

What natural colors survive the extrusion process?

Extrusion and other high-heat processes require robust natural color systems engineered for stability. Natural greens are especially challenging, but specialized solutions like Vertafine™ are built to endure thermal stress, providing an extrusion stable color that maintains its vibrancy even under harsh conditions. In practice, heat-tolerant caramel, certain carotenoids, and carefully designed green blends can persist; a purpose-built extrusion-stable natural green pet food color helps maintain hue in kibble, baked treats, and even a vivid green for dental chews.

Extrusion-Stable Natural Green for Pet Treats and Kibble

Fortunately, Sensient’s focus on continued innovation to close gaps in our color portfolio has led to a solution for natural green blends in pet food applications that is an extrusion-stable natural green pet food color. This approach helps brands achieve a natural appearance in treats and kibble without sacrificing performance.

Mintel data shows that functional health claims are among the top three most influential purchase factors for pet food and treats.

Brands can reinforce and substantiate health and ingredient claims with visible cues using bold natural colors to align with those claims. Extending the research done by independent academic studies shows that:

84% of pet owners select multi-colored kibble when identifying high-quality and nutrient dense kibble and treats for their pets.
—Sensient Consumer Research

FAQs

What colors are approved in pet food?: In the U.S., colors used in pet food must be approved for their intended use by the FDA and comply with AAFCO guidelines. Common approved options include certain synthetics (for example, FD&C colors where permitted for pet use) and a range of natural sources like turmeric, paprika, caramel color, and fruit/vegetable concentrates, provided they meet applicable specifications. Solutions like Vertafine™ are approved by the FDA and AAFCO for use as a natural color in pet food and treats and are designed to be an extrusion-stable natural green pet food color.

What natural colors survive the extrusion process?: Extrusion and other high-heat processes require robust natural color systems engineered for stability. Natural greens are especially challenging, but specialized solutions like Vertafine™ are built to endure thermal stress, providing an extrusion stable color that maintains its vibrancy even under harsh conditions. In practice, heat-tolerant caramel, certain carotenoids, and carefully designed green blends can persist; a purpose-built extrusion-stable natural green pet food color helps maintain hue in kibble, baked treats, and even a vivid green for dental chews.

Extrusion-Stable Natural Green for Pet Treats and Kibble

This demand for clean labels leaves developers and brands to seek natural ingredients like colors that match or exceed the performance of their synthetic counterparts.

Green is a popular shade within pet kibble and treats that poses particular challenges to many due to its scarcity in nature and stability or permissibility restrictions of some natural blue sources.

Vertafine™ offers pet food developers clean label natural greens that comply with FDA and AAFCO specifications and meet cost-in-use targets.

Introducing Vertafine™