The Holy Grail
However, Sensient has been able to reduce the components in beets responsible for these reactions via a proprietary purification process, and finally given manufacturers a beet-derived red that can replace [the synthetic color] Red 40, without using bugs, said David Gebhardt, technical director, food colors, US. "It's really the Holy Grail in the natural food colors space."
The heat-stable color (branded 'SupraRed') has been road tested by manufacturers and received excellent feedback to date, said Gebhardt, who said applications included cookies, crackers, cakes, ready-to-eat cereals, tortilla chips, dairy based UHT beverages and confections such as licorice.