New natural ingredient blend to maintain red spice color

13-Jan-2011 - Last updated on 13-Jan-2011 at 16:51 GMT

Kemin Industries has developed a new natural liquid ingredient blend that delays oxidation and maintains the color of paprika and red-colored spices at a lower price than tocopherols, the company has said.

The ingredient, Fortium TR30, includes tocopherols blended with natural rosemary extract as an alternative to pure tocopherols or synthetic ingredients, the company said.

Kemin’s North American business manager Ann Rolow told FoodNavigator-USA.com that tocopherols are an antioxidant produced as a byproduct of soybean oil processing, and as processing methods have changed, there has been a reduction in the amount of tocopherols produced, thereby pushing up prices.

“What we have done is that we have combined tocopherols with our natural rosemary extract, reducing the cost,” she said. “…It is also an alternative for growers of paprika to get away from synthetic ingredients.”

Currently ethoxyquin, a quinoline-based ingredient, is used to preserve the color of some red-colored spices, but as consumers are increasingly demanding natural products, some spice producers are looking for alternatives.

Rolow added that the company’s new ingredient would be especially useful for food manufacturers looking to preserve the color of products that have a long shelf life, for which there is a risk that color could change over time. These include dressings and barbecue sauces that are exposed to light through glass bottles, or seasoning blends, she said.

Director of research and development for the food technologies division of Kemin Industries Will Schroeder said: “Fortium TR30 was formulated to be the optimal alternative to traditional synthetic antioxidants. Our liquid product offers a more cost effective, consumer friendly label option that is easy to use.”