Sensient Consumer Research 2019-2022
Developers looking to improve taste can look to optimized, flavor-appropriate color solutions for specific target visuals.
While color suppliers have long been striving toward increasingly stable natural color solutions, in the case of plant-based proteins a color shift under heat processing can be a good thing, showing a change from a “raw” visual to a “cooked” one. Sensient’s color experts work every day to leverage their deep knowledge of color sources like beet to meet specific formulation needs.
Labeling is also a key consideration for plant-based products. If a developer is seeking to claim “organic” or “made in USA”, it’s important for ingredient suppliers like Sensient to know at the beginning of the development process so we can provide solutions that fit those restrictions.
The target shade of a product is critical to understand, and efficient formulation depends on understanding how to work with the base shade of the product to achieve a specific visual. The difference between a medium burger and a well-done plant-based burger could be wholly different color solutions.
From raw chicken to cooked shrimp, many raw meats are shades of pink, and some keep pink hues through a cooking process. Standard beet solutions lack the heat stability of advanced these solutions and can be a great choice for products desiring a color change with heat. Beet-based solutions from Sensient’s UberBeet™ portfolio, like Magna Ruby and SupraRed™, can be used for heat-stable pink.
Deeper shades of red perfectly represent proteins like bacon, salami, and raw beef. Highly concentrated beet solutions like SupraRed™ can achieve this appearance without impacting the texture or flavor profile.
Brown is arguably the “default” shade of cooked meat, from seared steaks to baked chicken. Sensient’s Sienna™ fruit juice and blends offer caramel-free heat-stable brown shades from warm tan to darker shades reminiscent of a grilled or seared aesthetic. Heat-stable natural blue solutions within Sensient’s portfolio can be used to add gray notes to cooked proteins like beef analogues.
Orange is an important visual cue for raw salmon and many spicy flavors in breadings or sausages. Natural color solutions like annatto and paprika can be leveraged to create bold visuals that match animal proteins.
For yellow shades in flavored chicken dishes like curry or egg products like omelets and sushi, natural color solutions like turmeric and beta carotene can help developers mimic traditional meat appearances.
White is an important shade for plant-based proteins replacing cooked chicken, cooked pork, and raw OR cooked fish like cod or halibut. Sensient’s Avalanche™ portfolio offers a wide range of natural white color solutions tailored perform in any application.
Natural White Color Blends “Free-From Titanium Dioxide” for Plant-Based Chicken, Shrimp, & Pork »
