With the trend for more organic, clean labels and natural products increasing in the food and beverage market, consumers are continually looking for products devoid of synthetic colors and artificial flavors.
The appearance of the food carries a lot of importance as it is one of the key factors deciding whether a consumer will go for the product or not. To heighten the food's visual appeal, product manufacturers depend on color additives- nature-identical or natural, synthetic- to enhance the natural colors, neutralize possible color loss, and give an attractive hue to the monotonous-looking foods. Moreover, the addition of colors to food products has been found to have a drastic impact on the chemosensory perception of food items. Based on the facts stated in a study published in 2016, evidence suggests that these effects are exerted by color by a link with emotion. The same is true regarding flavors as well. Moreover, the authors also found strong evidence that consumers carry pre-existing expectations about the appropriate color for distinct types and flavors of beverages.
The 2020 year has taught us to expect the unexpected. With COVID-19 affecting almost every aspect of the global economy and international commerce, the global food market is no exception. The main motto of food businesses to survive in the industry during these unprecedented times has been to make it as available and safe as possible. The food and beverage industry has shown continued resiliency. From small to large brands, all have been supporting and rallying each other.
With the world turning towards natural flavor and color solutions, the natural palette has been expanding. So the manufacturers use plant-based products and ingredients like beetroot, red wine extracts, butterfly pea flower, turmeric, annatto, and hibiscus to replace the artificial or human-made colors.
Product developers have infinite natural flavors and colorants to select from, but attaining the desired result is no easy feat as flavors and colors are influenced by temperature, moisture, processing, pH, light, packaging, and more. Natural ingredients are also known to be more volatile, more expensive with a much shorter shelf life than their artificial alternatives. Hence, natural colors and flavors demand longer R&D or research and development investment and timelines to meet retail and consumer needs by validating the formula.