GNT Group unveils spirulina food coloring that delivers 'naturally intense blues'
“The challenge of achieving vibrant blue colors in food using only ingredients from a natural origin is well understood. However, naturalness is what consumers are demanding so there is pressure on manufacturers to deliver that," said Sonja Scheffler, product manager at GNT.
"Our new high intensity blue powders from spirulina will make it significantly easier to do so at lower doses without compromising on important product performance factors such as solubility and stability.”
Available in both standard and micronized powder form, the new EXBERRY high intensity blues are offered in a choice of carriers, including maltodextrin or sugar, and are guaranteed to be trehalose-free.
In addition, EXBERRY's spirulina-derived colorings offer high solubility and stability in a number of applications, particularly for incorporating into instant beverages, hard-panned products, fondant, white chocolate and pressed tablets, claimed GNT Group.
Due to increased market demand for naturally-blue flavors, GNT Group has doubled its spirulina processing capacity, the company said.
Is your product 'Instagrammable'?
GNT Group has previously discussed the importance of developing your food and beverage product for a digital audience.
A food or beverage item's visual appeal on Instagram is an important factor to Gen Z and millennials, and color has become an effective marketing tool for brands to capture this digitally-inclined consumer base.
According to Instagram, users under the age of 25 spend more than 32 minutes a day on Instagram, on average, while those age 25 and older spend more than 24 minutes a day. Pictures and hashtags related to food have also become some of the most popular things to post, with 69% of those aged 18 -34 saying that they snap a photo of their food before eating it.
