Purified lactic acid, a better stabiliser of natural colour in foods and beverages

Colours play a big part in stimulating one’s appetite for certain foods and drinks. As colour fading is perceived as a quality defect by consumers, the ability to retain fresh and vibrant colours throughout a product’s shelf life is a valuable benefit for formulators and brand owners.

Natural food preservation expert Purac, recently completed a research which demonstrated the effectiveness of its Purac? FIT Plus in stabilising natural colours in acidified foods and drinks. A natural, purified lactic acid, the product can reduce the fading of anthocyanins in acidified finished products by up to 50 per cent, compared to commonly used citric acid.

Natural colours are inherently unstable and factors including pH, temperature, oxidation, light and the presence of sugar or salt can all affect stability in the end product. Acidulants have been used for many years for anthocyanin stabilisation and various other purposes. This latest research opens up new opportunities for formulators to stabilise colours more efficiently in acidified applications such as beverages.

Inge Evers, senior application technologist at Purac, comments, “There are various motives for acidifying foods and drinks, and the choice of acidulant can dramatically affect anthocyanin stability. Our research found that, compared to citric acid, Purac FIT Plus offers significant improvements in anthocyanin stability, especially when the products are exposed to light, as they are in the retail environment and at home.”

“These results are very exciting, especially for beverage and fruit preparation manufacturers,” adds Hans Schinck, category manager, taste and nutrition “We foresee continued growth in the natural colours market. Being able to retain a product’s aesthetic qualities while optimising its taste profile with Purac FIT Plus will not only improve stand out on the shelf and but will  also boost consumer perceptions and enhance their eating and drinking experience.”

Since its introduction, the product has been adopted by formulators all over the world for acidification and masking off-tastes from high intensity sweeteners like stevia.