Naturex introduces red colouring for meat substitutes
Givaudan has expanded its Naturex portfolio in Europe to include a new red colouring specifically designed for meat substitutes.
The product, called Vegebrite Veggie Reds, combines beetroot and other natural extracts. Naturex said it can be used with any plant-based meat substitutes and is particularly effective in raw and cooked meat-free burger patties.
The company said the natural colour solution for meat substitutes is a plant-based colouring coming from real ingredients, obtained through a gentle process. The new line promises to deliver a better consumer preparation experience, introducing meat-like red colour to raw plant-based patties that then turns brown when cooked.
Santiago Vega, Director of Marketing, Nutrition & Health, North America, said: “We’re excited to be able to offer complete plant-based solutions from the ground up. The consumer experience starts with visual appeal from natural colours. A selection of natural ingredients then works together to provide the right taste, texture, and mouthfeel, while our natural preservation solutions maintain product stability throughout shelf-life. And finally, our botanical extracts can add a wellness appeal to functional food and beverage brands looking to attract health-minded consumers.”
Nathalie Pauleau, Global Product Manager Natural Colours, Naturex, told FoodNavigator that the product can accommodate a wide range of applications and regulatory requirements and taps into a growing desire among consumers to reduce their meat consumption for reasons of sustainability.
“The importance of sustainability will undoubtedly continue to grow in the coming years and reducing meat consumption through the introduction of vegetable proteins is a big component of any sustainable philosophy,” she said.
“Givaudan is a major actor in this market, and we’re excited to be able to leverage the Naturex portfolio, combining vegetable proteins with natural ingredients to provide a wider palette of possibilities when it comes to creating meat substitutes.”
Clean label solution
She added that colouring foods such as Vegebrite Veggie Reds does not require an e-number in Europe and have no limit on their use in the formulation. “This is what makes them so useful and desirable in producing clean label solutions for our customers.
“It is a vegan and fully clean label ingredient, which fits perfectly with expectations for meat alternatives. Obtained from beetroot and other natural extracts, it can be used to achieve an authentic fresh meat-like red colour in meat substitutes. The blends undergo a colour transformation during the cooking phase, turning a brown colour that closely mimics grilled meat.”
