Aluminum-free Natural Food Color Market

Consumers continue to associate the taste of food products with its color which is a vital factor F&B companies are increasingly using food coloring to make their products more presentable and marketable. Aluminum lakes are being increasingly used in the production of food coloring owing to their dispersible nature enabling them to mix with oil, fat, propylene glycol, and glycerin and water. However, concerns regarding the adverse impact of aluminum consumption on human health are creating a demand for natural food colors.

Aluminum-free Natural Food Color Market Dynamics

Health Concerns Surrounding Prolonged Aluminum Consumption to Uphold Market Growth

Although aluminum has been approved for use in food coloring, it is widely identified as a neurotoxin proven to impact over 200 biological functions of the body. The metal accumulates in the human system over periods of time and can have adverse consequences on human health. Numerous studies suggest that prolonged accumulation of aluminum in the body can potentially cause neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). In addition, aluminum competes with other minerals for absorption into the bloodstream. This can significantly deter calcium absorption in bones and impact skeletal mineralization. Further, studies have linked the accumulation of metal in the body to the development of autism and slowdown of growth in kids. Growing awareness about the adverse impact of aluminum on human health is prompting food and beverage companies to seek alternatives to food color containing aluminum. A recent development complementing the trend was the release of a survey conducted Federal Institute of Risk Assessment, Germany which revealed that approximately half of the German population avoids the use of aluminum-based products. The factor is estimated to play a vital role in aluminum-free natural food color market growth during the forecast period.

“Clean Label” and “Mindful Choices” Trends to Push Uptake of Aluminum-free Natural Colors

Consumers around the world are increasingly becoming more conscious about the food products they consume and are demanding transparency in food production processes. Consequently, “mindful choices” and “clean label” trends are gradually gaining traction. Coupled with the growing awareness about the adverse impact of aluminum on human health, the trends are expected to drive food processing companies to replace artificial and synthetic coloring with their natural alternatives. Additionally, the burgeoning demand for naturally sourced ingredients for food products and the widespread consumer perception associating natural with healthy is driving manufacturers to increasingly replace aluminum-based food coloring in their products. The factor is expected to contribute significantly to the aluminum-free natural food color market growth with consumers increasingly preferring brands which provide detailed insights into their supply chain management.

Innovations in Natural Food Color Development to Drive Adoption

Aluminum lakes find widespread usage in the production of blue pigment for food coloring. Intensifying research and development towards finding natural sources for blue color is likely to accelerate adoption of aluminum-free natural food color. For instance, recent research in the area is studying the potential of deriving blue color from fungal, animal, and microbial sources. In addition, the aluminum-free natural food colors are also finding widespread adoption in the food and beverages industry owing to the nutritional benefits offered by them which are central to marketing campaigns of companies vying to capitalize on the burgeoning demand for natural products. Technical breakthroughs in the production of natural food colors are further expected to underpin aluminum-free natural food color market growth. For instance, Phytolon, an emerging company in the food color market, obtained the license for using plant-based genes known as betalains for the production of a variety of natural colors. The company revealed that they will be leveraging a novel technique employing the use of yeast for the commercial production of natural food color. Burgeoning investments in natural food color production and accelerated sophistication of production processes is estimated to fuel aluminum-free natural food color market growth.

Inefficient Functionality and Lower Shelf-life of Natural Colors to Dent Sales

Natural food colorings are unstable and exhibit low heat resistance. In addition, the coloring can fade easily and undergo a change in properties when subjected to light and different pH levels. Being derived from natural sources, natural food coloring can cause allergic reactions. Furthermore, the overall cost of production of natural food colors is substantially higher than its synthetic counterparts. The requirement of a vast amount of raw materials in plants, fruits, and other natural sources makes the production of natural colors both expensive and non-sustainable. These factors are restraining the widespread adoption of natural colors in commercial food processing and continue to pose a daunting challenge to manufacturers operating in the aluminum-free natural food color market.

Aluminum-free Natural Food Color Market Segmentation

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