Food colorings obtained through the fermentation process

• Color is an important part of the attraction exerted by certain foods on consumers, also having a major influence on taste perception.

Color is vital to food. Not only does it evoke an emotional response that can sometimes lead consumers to prefer one product over another, but it has also been shown to strongly influence taste perception. More specifically, color influences the way the mind perceives the flavor of that food.

The reasons why colorants are used in the food industry are diverse and include aspects related to visual appeal, product preservation, color uniformity, and the identification or enhancement of certain flavors.

Multiple uses

For a visually appealing look: Color is an important factor in food perception and can significantly influence consumers' purchase decision. Vibrant and eye-catching colors can suggest freshness, superior quality and delicious taste. For example, an orange juice with a vibrant orange color can be perceived as freshly squeezed and rich in nutrients.

For product preservation: Some colorants, especially natural ones, may also have antioxidant or antimicrobial properties, which can help extend the shelf life of food products by preventing oxidation and microbial spoilage. For example, rosemary extract, which contains carnosic acid, can be used as a natural dye but also as a preservative.

For color uniformity: Production processes or storage conditions can lead to changes in the color of food. The use of dyes can help to maintain or achieve a uniform color in food products, helping to improve their appearance.

To identify or enhance aromas: Food colors can be associated with certain aromas or tastes. For example, a bright red color in a dessert can suggest the presence of strawberries or berries. The use of colorants to highlight or enhance certain flavors can enhance the taste experience of consumers.

Dyes obtained by fermentation – innovative technique

There are two main types of colorants used in the food industry: dyes natural, obtained from strongly colored plants or insects and dyes artificial, industrially produced, often more stable and concentrated than natural dyes.

In the case of natural dyes, in order to obtain strong shades, large amounts of the respective plants are used, requiring significant agricultural exploitation, and in the case of artificial dyes there is major controversy, as some studies have suggested that certain artificial dyes may have adverse effects noticeable on health.

This created the need to address other methods of satisfying the food coloring market, and a number of companies are already producing colors using fermentation, a method that apparently has a number of benefits worth considering.

Fermentation is a complex process. Unlike many other methods of color production, it relies not on insect or plant proteins to obtain the dyes, but on fungi, microorganisms and a controlled environment. Furthermore, fermentation can produce vegan, kosher and halal dyes that can be created with reduced land and water use and used in a wide range of products.

Vegan, kosher and halal

The diversity of today's food landscape makes these certifications important, and it is essential that ingredient manufacturers understand and align with the diverse dietary needs of consumers. Over the past decade, the kosher food market has grown by 15% annually in North America. Similarly, there is a notable upward trajectory in demand for halal food.

Certification for halal and kosher products involves compliance with specific religious dietary laws, ensuring that the food or product meets the requirements of Islamic (halal) or Jewish (kosher) dietary practices.

The certification process for each varies, but the main goal is to assure consumers that the product meets religious dietary guidelines, allowing an ingredient company to unlock more markets such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan. where halal certification is crucial for food acceptance; and kosher certification for countries such as Israel, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Argentina, due to their sizeable Jewish communities.

Natu.Red – revolutionary dye

Company Chromologics, based in Denmark, used precision immersion fermentation to produce the natural red dye, Natu. Red.

Specialists in the company's laboratories use a filamentous fungus to produce the vibrant red dye. Through the innovative production process, scaled to over 10.000 liters of liquid, non-GMO fungi are fermented in water with sugar and other nutrients.

The red molecule is produced by filamentous fungi and then secreted into the fermentation medium. When the fermentation is complete, the filamentous fungus is filtered and after a few simple steps of further processing, the dye is obtained in the form of a red powder.

For the production of other colors, the same fungi are used, thus making the process relatively difficult, as it requires adaptation. The production of secondary metabolites in filamentous fungi is highly dependent on growth conditions. Colors are usually secondary metabolites because they are not essential for fungal growth and survival.

Therefore, even though the filamentous fungus naturally produces a variety of colors (yellow, orange, red), to produce exclusively one molecule the production process must be adjusted. Thus, for each color produced by Chromologics, there is a different fermentation process, customized to make production more efficient.

The company Michroma uses a similar method

The innovative approach to me Roma, an Argentinian company based in the United States, focuses on creating fungal biofactories to produce small molecules, such as colors, more efficiently. By combining a unique fungal base strain with precision fermentation, Michroma specialists have been able to produce complex molecules in high yields.

Michroma has built a biotech platform that produces sustainable and cost-effective natural ingredients with a special focus on natural food colors. The company's product line begins with warm colors ( Red+, Orange+ and Yellow+ ), which comprise 90% of the food market, including other bolder colors that will enable integrated solutions for manufacturing companies in the industry.

In fact, many companies produce food colorings starting from red, later moving to other colors as well. This is not necessarily related to the production process, but to the market. Red is the most widely used food colorant with a significant market share, and existing natural alternatives currently fail to meet the expectations of food companies in terms of performance, sustainability and cost.

Sustainable process

Dyes obtained through the fermentation process, unlike classical methods, produce a real change by completely transforming the production model. It thus moves to the manufacture of ingredients with a conscious use of water and other resources, without the need for hazardous chemicals or solvents such as pesticides and with minimal waste generation.

so much Chromologics, and also me Roma produce kosher and halal certified colors, such certifications being vital for a brand with a global reach.

The colors produced by this fermentation technology can be used in a wide range of foods. For example, red can be used in products including meat and meat alternatives, dairy products and dairy alternatives, baked goods and sweets with optimal performance such as high temperature stability, strong hue, absence of taste and odor.

Article written by Gabriela Dan, Editor of Arta Albă

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