Vegan hues for plant-based meats

Creating appetizing plant-based vegan meats with lycopene and Beta-carotene

Expertise

Overview

Color plays a key role in the sensory journey in plant-based meats, all the way from first sight to last bite.  It influences what’s chosen off the shelf, taste perceptions and thresholds, preferences, and acceptability. And with the flexitarian consumer group driving the plant-based meat market, it’s important to ensure these alternatives compare favorably to their animal meat counterparts. 

Our carotenoid-based color families from lycopene and beta-carotene come in a variety of authentic hues from yellow to orange, reds and pinks and are the perfect partner to color plant-based alternatives like cold cuts, hamburgers, ground meat, bacon, frankfurters, poultry, eggs, fish, and shrimp.

While they may be easy on the eye, they are extremely robust – even under the harshest of processing conditions including high shear and smoking or steaming, and remain resolutely stable to heat, light and pH; meaning longer shelf life and greater packaging, display and storage flexibility than what’s possible with other color alternatives. 

Ready to Meet Your New Best Friend for Plant-Based Meats?

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Benefits

Harvesting Possibilities

We put all our colors through rigorous stress testing to ensure that they deliver what they promise. Tested to the highest level of scrutiny for stability, safety, and performance, we evaluated ConstantCrimson, ResoluteRuby, and OrangeOvation in plant-based deli slices and frankfurters with outstanding results confirming no visible difference to the eye.

Dig into our eBook for a closer look at our stability studies to help you hues wisely for your plant-based meats

Download the eBook

Superstable Colors

Naturally derived hues for authentic looking plant-based meats

Overview

Gold, yellow, orange and reds from Beta-carotene and lycopene formulated to maintain stability throuhout the most challenging conditions. Heat, light and pH stable, our portfolio of superstable families are proven to provide your plant-based meats with eye catching hues reminiscent of animal meat.

Superstable Colors

Naturally derived hues for authentic looking plant-based meats

Clean label

Naturally sourced, Vegan, Kosher, Halla, Allergen-free, Non-GMO, declared as ‘Lycopene’ or ‘Lycopene from red tomatoes’ or color: Beta-Carotene.

Superstable Colors

Naturally derived hues for authentic looking plant-based meats

Longer lasting color

Proven to withstand even the most demanding processing, recipe, temperature, lighting, storage, packaging and cooking conditions.

Superstable Colors

Naturally derived hues for authentic looking plant-based meats

Authentic color

A broad range of unique shades to simulate meat products (ground beef, cold cuts such as delicatessen ham, turkey, chicken, frankfurters or sausages).

  • Overview
  • Clean label
  • Longer lasting color
  • Authentic color

Press

Get the Scoop

As a leader in natural colors and taste enhancement, we’re constantly exploring within the food industry and continuing to push forward. Check out what the press has to say bout a few of our projects below.

  • “Of all the natural color sources, lycopene-based colors are proving to provide an excellent coverage for plant-based meats and deliver the color integrity and stability manufacturers need, despite many stringent production and consumer preparation processes.”

    — Food Dive
  • “Lycopene-based colors in sausages provide a range of colors with an authentic appearance before and after cooking.”

    — Food Ingredients First

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