Long-Lasting, Clean Label Orange Food Color
Look To Paprika as a Versatile Natural Orange
Today, more and more customers seek vibrancy in their food without the additives and artificial ingredients that are perceived to come along with it.
Paprika offers an excellent solution for a clean label, bold orange shade in a variety of applications – from snacks to beverages to pet kibble and more.
Paprika extract is a smart choice for brands looking for a Yellow 6 match that is easily recognizable on labels for consumers. It also provides a coloring agent that is stable with heat and light, as well as across a wide range of pH levels.
According to a 2024 survey, 86% of respondents considered Paprika to be “clean label”.
Sensient Proprietary Consumer Research 2024
It’s important to understand how a given application will work with powder or liquid paprika food color to best assess the right form for the right product.
Diving Into Liquid Paprika Food Color
More often than not, developers will reach for a liquid form of paprika extract. In its liquid form, paprika blends well in many water-based applications and has quick dispersion in products like sauces, dressings, and other liquids.
However, liquid paprika color is subject to a shorter shelf life and more delicate shipping and storage needs. If conditions are not just right, the liquid color can experience separation or degradation under harsh elements. It sometimes needs to be refrigerated and it’s important that it doesn’t freeze or stay outside for a prolonged period. In certain quantities, liquid paprika can carry off-notes from ts natural source, too.
In its liquid form, paprika extract is an excellent solution for:
– Clear beverages like sports drinks
– Dairy products like yogurt
Exploring Powder Paprika Food Color
For an even more powerful clean label orange solution, paprika extract in its powder form lasts much longer and, though buyers may see higher per-pound costs in the market, it can be more cost effective in the long run due to its more stable nature.
It is much easier to ship and store and it works well in situations where more durability and longevity are needed. Unlike its liquid counterpart, powder paprika does not need to be refrigerated or kept at a certain temperature to maintain quality.
Despite a better stability, powder paprika might need longer blending times or require dissolution in a carrier if used in liquid applications. It might not be the best choice for beverage applications in its powder form due to mixing needs; if hydrated, the right mixing equipment is essential for successful color outcomes.
In its powder form, paprika extract is an excellent solution for:
– Higher, more intense processing as in pet food
– Longer shelf-life products like dry mixes
Sensient’s R&D is Making Paprika Better Than Ever
Our team is constantly working to make natural colors more readily available and usable for our customers. We offer the highest quality liquid and powder forms of paprika extract, so that the desired clean label orange shade can be achieved in any application, under any conditions.
To help mitigate any risks associated with natural color, the innovation teams at Sensient have developed multiple technologies to ensure that every single batch of color is purified, safe, effective, and held to the highest standard.
Because natural colors are not regulated and the sources can be treated with pesticides at different levels in different growing regions, understanding – and trusting- the natural color manufacturer and supplier is key. As paprika is one of the highest-risk crops for pesticide exposure, being able to trust that it is purified and free from any harsh chemicals is a top priority for Sensient.
Through Sensient’s Certasure™ Food Safety Program, paprika is tested for all five top hazards and hundreds of other risks and contaminants.
Another concern with natural color sources from plants is flavor or texture effects that can result when a source is used in certain quantities.
Because plant sources come from fruits, vegetables, and herbs, flavor can sometimes naturally be carried over into the color application. The last thing a developer wants is to achieve a beautiful, vibrant color only to have the product marred by the wrong taste.
When natural colors are used at a high rate, off-notes can occur in flavor and texture. With Sensient’s advanced Pure-S™ technology, developers can formulate with vibrant color results AND a clean taste.
No matter your needs, Sensient offers top tier, clean label orange food color options with paprika across formats and applications.
