Mars discovers that new sources of natural pigments are expected to replace artificial pigments

Recently, synthetic pigments such as sunset yellow, carmine, and amaranth have exploded frequently. The demand for natural pigments is extremely high...Today we are going to talk about this summer's trend in color-blue.

According to the latest research published by Science Advances Journal on April 7, 2021, the scientific team of M&M's and Rainbow Sugar’s parent group Mars Wrigley has found the latest natural blue pigment in purple cabbage for 10 years. Blue pigment is not rare in nature, but its unstable state makes processing and application difficult.

Speaking of favorite colors, blue is definitely one of the most popular colors. However, in the trend of the times that emphasizes natural pigments to replace artificial pigments, the blue pigments currently used in food are still mostly artificial colors.

According to the latest research published by Science Advances Journal on April 7, 2021, it was invested by Mars Wrigley in the United States, and a scientific research team jointly organized by many well-known universities in the United States, Japan, and Europe. After 10 years of searching Found the source of natural blue pigment, which can be extracted from the common purple cabbage anthocyanin.

Why does it take a scientist 10 years to find it?

What makes natural blue pigments so rare?

M&M’s and Rainbow Sugar Mother Group "Mars Foods" have found natural edible blue pigment in purple cabbage, which is expected to be used as a source of natural pigment for their products.

Natural pigments are emerging trends, but they are not easy to obtain

The difference in color will have the most direct sensory impact on food. Proper color tone can increase consumer acceptance of the product, but at present, artificial colors are still commonly used in the food industry. The reason is nothing more than cost and good control during processing. , Good coloring, etc.

However, due to the increased awareness of food safety and nutrition, searching for natural pigments has gradually become an emerging trend, and under this trend, scientists have slowly discovered that it is really not easy to obtain natural blue pigments.

In nature, blue is the most rare

When consumers see blue foods, they often think that they are artificial pigments. However, as blue becomes popular in the market, it gradually begins to represent new trends and innovations. The development of new sources of blue natural pigments has become hidden. Market demand.

However, the source of blue in the natural environment is quite limited. The natural blue pigments that have been found are from gardenia, spirulina, wood blue, etc., but these natural blue pigments have at least one limitation. For example, anthocyanins appear light blue within a pH range of 6-7. If they are applied to food, the pH value will be destroyed once the color is completely changed.

There are not many blue pigments in nature, making blue generally regarded as artificial pigments by consumers, so the acceptance is not high.

03

Natural pigments have many challenges

Looking at the original ingredients with rich colors, we can understand that natural pigments are not non-existent, but the characteristics of natural pigments that are not easy to store and easy to degrade, so that many natural pigments, even if they are visible, will not remain after processing. Live.

In the process of storage, natural pigments will deteriorate due to temperature and humidity fluctuations. Not only that, the process of extracting natural pigments from food will also affect the color rendering effect of natural pigments due to the extraction steps. The color rendering will be worse than artificial colors.

In addition, after being added to food, natural pigments may also change after being combined with food, resulting in colors that are not as stable as expected. Many instabilities cause natural pigments to be slightly worse than artificial colors in practical applications.

04

Mars Foods promises to completely eliminate artificial coloring

Mars Foods of the United States publicly promised in February 2016 that it hopes to eliminate all artificial colors from all its products by February 2021. Although this goal has not yet been fully implemented, it also means that natural colors will be replaced in processing. There are great challenges. In the past few years, Mars Foods has made great efforts. Even though this road is indeed difficult, it still develops new sources of natural pigments.

However, the difficulty is not the products that can be naturally colored, but the confectionery department of Mars Foods. The products include the well-known M&M's and rainbow candy. These two products have always been attracted by bright colors in the past. Consumers, to enable these well-known products to use natural pigments instead of artificial pigments in a stable and stable manner, without affecting the color rendering effect, will become the next stage of challenge.