A Colorful Future for Organic:
The NOSB’s Latest Recommendations for Colors and More

By Jennifer Guild and Stephen J. Lauro


Natural colors have long been added to foods to catch the consumer’s eye, but since last October when the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) voted not to relist natural colors on the National List of Approved Substances, the subject of colors in organic foods has been a little grey.

The future of colors is looking much brighter, however, since the NOSB’s most recent meeting in March of 2007 when the board voted to recommend 19 different natural colorants to be added back to the National List. These colors include: annatto (oil and water extracted), beet juice, beta carotene, black currant juice, blueberry juice, carrot juice, carrot (purple or black), cherry juice, chokeberry (also called aronia) juice, elderberry juice, grape juice, grape skin extract, paprika, pumpkin juice, purple potato juice, red cabbage extract, red radish extract, saffron and turmeric.

Tomato juice and lycopene, the phytochemical that gives a tomato its red color, failed to make the board’s recommended list based on lack of information proving the commercial unavailability of the organic form. Hibiscus, a water soluble color that imparts shades of red and orange was also petitioned, but was deferred to be discussed at the next meeting based on the evidence presented to the board stating that organic hibiscus is commercially available.

Other Organic Colors
In addition to hibiscus, Level I organic caramel, a very stable light brown color, has also been created and is commercially available. Organic turmeric, which produces shades of yellow, has recently been developed as well and is being used in smaller volume products. Lastly, some suppliers of certified organic vegetables and fruits have begun to dehydrate and mill their product into fine powders which, in certain circumstances, can be added as colorants.

While the area of organic colors is growing, there are still many colors that are not commercially available in organic form. In the absence of commercially available organic colors, the nonorganic, natural colors above can be used in organic processing.

The History of Colors in Organic
At the inception of the National Organic Program (NOP), “colors, non-synthetic” were permitted in foods labeled “USDA Organic” or “Made with Organic,” provided they did not exceed 5 percent of the product’s final formula and were otherwise compliant with organic standards.

When “colors, non-synthetic” was placed on the National List several problems became apparent: 1) no one was quite sure just what a “color, non-synthetic” actually was; 2) no petitions were filed at that time and no NOSB recommendations were ever made, hence no one knew precisely which colorants were being placed on the list; and 3) “colors, non-synthetic” were placed on the list as non-agricultural products (section 202.605), even though most colors are agricultural products.

No ingredient is permitted to remain on the National List for more than five years without review by the NOSB and “Colors, non-synthetic” was set to sunset in late 2007. Thus, the NOSB asked growers, handlers and processors alike to petition, correctly, for the addition of natural colorants onto the National List under Section 205.606, as nonorganic agricultural products approved for use in foods labeled organic. If such petitions were not received, or if they were received but were rejected by the NOSB, then when “colors, non-synthetic” automaticly sunsets from the National List in October of 2007, no foods labeled organic would be able to use natural colorants. However, several natural colorant suppliers and processors who use natural color petitioned the NOSB for the placement of specific natural colorants onto the National List. These petitions were publicly discussed by the NOSB and most of were approved. The final step is for these colors to be reviewed by the NOP and be added to the National List as a final rule. As of October 2007, only the natural colors on section 205.606 of the National List will be allowed in organic foods. In addition, processors will also have to prove to their certifier that there are no commercially available organic versions.

The Nature of Natural Colorants
Natural colorants are Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS), have a long history of human consumption, are derived principally from plant, animal or mineral sources, and are minimally processed. There is no legal definition for a “natural” colorant. Instead the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates color additives as either 1) those requiring certification (synthetic colors), or 2) those exempt from certification.

Color additives exempt from certification are recognized by the food and cosmetic industries as “natural.” Presently, there are 25 natural color additives. Some of these may not be appropriate for foods labeled “organic” or “made with organic” (such as synthetic iron oxide), while others fit hand-in-glove with organic foods (such as beet juice). Out of the 25 natural colorants permitted in by the FDA, 19 are now NOP compliant. These fall into a few catagories:

Anthocyanins. These phytochemicals are known not only for imparting shades of red, blue, violet and magenta in many fruits and vegetables, but also for their high level of healthful antioxidants. Despite the large number of potential plant sources, to date only seven plant sources are commercially successful: chokeberry (aronia) juice, black currant juice, red cabbage extract, purple (black) carrot extract, elderberry juice, grape juice and grape skin extract and red radish extract.

A common, organic-compliant method for the extraction of anthocyanins involves soaking the raw material in a water and 3000 ppm sulfur dioxide solution. After 48 to 72 hours, the liquid is removed from the plant material, filtered, desulfured and concentrated. The presence of sulfur dioxide in the extraction liquid results in higher yield as well as increased stability of the product.

Anthocyanins are very sensitive to the pH of their surrounding environment, appearing red in an acidic pH (pH < 4.5) and blue in alkaline pH (pH > 6.5). Anthocyanins can also be combined with other colors to create oil dispersible greens and blues.

Cartenoids. These are responsible for many shades of yellow, orange and red seen throughout nature as well as some of the green in both leaves and algae. Certain cartenoids dominate in certain plants, such as capsanthin and capsorubin in peppers and bixin in annatto. Natural colors have been made from numerous plant sources, but only four are organic compliant: annatto, carrots, peppers (paprika) and saffron.

The most common method for the extraction of cartenoids is mechanical friction of the raw and finely cut or ground plant material in the presence of vegetable oils, fats and/or other aqueous alkaline solutions. The primary extract can be further manipulated by precipitation with strong acids or re-crystallization. The resultant liquid extract is composed of oil-soluble carotenoids.

Carotenoids are sensitive to light and heat, degrading rapidly under high heat or direct sunlight. In addition, carotenoids display very strong antioxidant properties. In certain beverage systems, carotenoids “destructively compete” with other anti-oxidative ingredients (such as vitamins), leaving the beverage without any color at all.

Betalains. Beetroot has been known for centuries as a means of imparting a desirable red color to other foods. The characteristic color is due to a purple pigment, betacyanin, and a yellow pigment, betaxanthin, known collectively as betalains.

There are two preparations of red beet colorants: beet juice (extract, liquid or powder) and beet powder. Typically, blanched ground beets are physically pressed. The beet juice extract is filtered and then vacuum concentrated. The liquid concentrate can then be spray- dried onto maltodextrin. This preparation is completely water soluble and commonly known as beet juice powder.

Alternatively, beets can be dehydrated and ground into a fine powder. This preparation is not completely water soluble and is commonly known as beet powder. Betalains are not sensitive to light or changes in pH, but they are very sensitive to heat, degrading rapidly under even low heat (140F and higher).

Turmeric. Turmeric comes from the rhizome of an herb that grows throughout Asia and India and the curcumin in this herb is what gives curry its yellow color.

Turmeric is available as an insoluble powder—literally the dried and ground plant material. It’s also available as an oleoresin. The turmeric rhizome is collected, dried and ground and then agitated in ethyl alcohol. The liquid extract is stabilized with vegetable oils and sometimes emulsifiers (to help the extract disperse in water).

Before working with turmeric oleoresin, organic food processors should determine the precise identity of both the solvents and the emulsifiers used in the preparation of the turmeric oleoresin as many times synthetic solvents and/or emulsifiers are utilized.

Curcumin is not sensitive to pH or heat, but is very sensitive to light, degrading rapidly under direct sunlight. Curcumin displays powerful anti-inflammatory properties believed to be beneficial to human health.

The Laws of Labeling
To the FDA, colors, both natural and organic, are considered additives and must be labeled as so.

This can be denoted on the ingredients list as either simply “colors added,” or the processor can choose to name the color as in “color added (annatto)” or “ annatto (for color).” The only natural coloring excluded from such labeling is the color from the product itself, for example using strawberry juice to color strawberry ice cream pink.

It’s not permissible to solely state, “natural color added.” The word “natural” should only appear in an ingredient statement to modify a flavor additive, not a color additive. The phrase “all natural colors may appear on the Principle Display Panel, however, as part of marketing efforts.

Conclusion
All in all, natural and organic colors offer a way to compete with bright and bold conventional products sitting on the shelf next your product. Color is often the first thing consumers notice, and something that they expect to see in certain products. Working with the ever growing palette of organic compliant and organic colors, color experts can help you find the perfect color for your product.

Jennifer Guild is global food science and regulatory manager for DDWilliamson, a leading manufacturer of organic and natural caramel color, with seven facilities on five continents. Their parent company, DDW Colors, also owns Artemis International who specializes in elderberry color and Dinesen Trading Co., makers of natural annatto, turmeric, paprika and beet juice concentrate.

Stephen J. Lauro is the president of colorMaker, Inc., a technological leader in the science and art of blending custom natural colorants. colorMaker and partner, DDWilliamson, offer technical support and distribution on a global scale. Together they filed fifteen petitions with the NOSB for the addition of natural colorants to the National List.