Colorants: Their Interaction with Flavor in Product Development

Abstract

Color is an important part of product appeal and is a critical criterion in a consumers’ ultimate selection of foods and beverages. The color of a food or beverage not only acts as an indicator of quality and freshness, it can also elicit expectations of flavor. The utilization of naturally sourced colors in food and beverages is increasing at a faster pace compared to synthetic colors. Naturally occurring molecules having a higher molar extinction are favored as colorants due to higher efficiency of use in applications compared to other naturally existing molecules. Flavor is another critical sensory attribute in food and beverages and therefore it is important to study and understand the interaction of color and flavor while developing products. Color needs to be dispersible with the flavor as well as in the application. Ideally color should not alter the flavor profile of the food or beverage, nor should it negatively impact the stability of the flavor system. Ultimately, colors that align well with the flavor and with the application should be selected. Colorant extracted from radish is an example of a color system which imparts flavor and therefore may need special processing. However, different radish sources may have different flavor thresholds. One final consideration when choosing a natural colorant for development into a food or beverage product is that different consumers may have varying degrees of sensitivities to the flavor of these color products.