The French company Fermentalg has traversed the globe in its pursuit of novel microalgae.
“One of our scientists was fortunate enough to explore volcanoes in the Caribbean, and I must resist the urge to collect more specimens each time I return home to New Zealand,” notes Hywel Griffiths, chief scientific officer at Fermentalg.
Microalgae, microscopic organisms predominantly found in aquatic environments, encompass hundreds of thousands of species. These organisms play a crucial role in the aquatic food chain and contribute to approximately half of the oxygen production on Earth.
Certain microalgae species are already commercially exploited in the production of food, animal feed, and fertilizer.
For Fermentalg, Galdieria sulphuraria, a particular microalga, exhibits a highly desirable characteristic: its capacity to produce a pigment suitable for use in food, known as Galdieria blue.
“We cultivate the algae under specific conditions that promote the production of this unique blue molecule,” explains Mr. Griffiths.
This pigment holds potential for application in a wide array of food and beverage products, and Mr. Griffiths anticipates the debut of products incorporating Galdieria blue on store shelves in early 2025.
Galdieria blue received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in May, alongside butterfly pea flower extract (another blue colorant) and calcium phosphate (a white colorant).
The FDA also granted approval to Gardenia blue earlier this month.
The need for novel food color sources arises as artificial food dyes face increasing scrutiny and potential phase-outs.
In January, the FDA announced the revocation of authorization for Red Dye No. 3 in food products.
Furthermore, the FDA intends to phase out petroleum-based synthetic dyes, such as Yellow Dye 5 and 6, by the end of the following year, aligning with the government’s initiative to “Make America Healthy Again.”
“For the past half-century, American children have been increasingly exposed to a hazardous mixture of synthetic chemicals,” stated FDA Commissioner Marty Makary at a press conference in April.
Although not an outright ban, the FDA hopes for voluntary compliance from the food industry to eliminate artificial food dyes by 2026.
This move follows years of pressure from parents and advocacy groups urging the FDA to withdraw approval for these dyes or to enhance consumer awareness regarding their potential risks.
Recently, numerous U.S. states have independently pursued legislation to restrict or eliminate artificial food colorings.
Regulatory approaches vary across countries, with the UK and the European Union historically maintaining stricter regulations than the U.S.
The EU has gradually phased out artificial colorings over the past two decades, while also introducing warning labels on foods containing certain other color additives.
Therefore, the current climate presents favorable opportunities for companies developing natural alternatives.
Sensient, a U.S.-based company, produces natural colors by sourcing raw materials cultivated specifically for their color content. For instance, certain red and purple hues are derived from carrots and potatoes.
“These crops are harvested, washed, processed into a juice, and the color is extracted using water or other solvents,” explains Paul Manning, chief executive officer at Sensient.
“The resulting color undergoes further processing to stabilize the concentrate and refine it to the specific shade desired by the customer.”
However, replicating the qualities of synthetic colors presents a considerable challenge. “The color must be equally vivid,” emphasizes Mr. Manning.
“There are numerous instances of brands transitioning to natural colors with less vibrant shades, leading to poor market performance and customer dissatisfaction regarding both color and flavor.”
Achieving a stable, bright color also demanded significant effort from Fermentalg.
“To our surprise, we discovered that the process of growing the algae and extracting the color can substantially influence the stability of the final product, even after extensive purification,” notes Mr. Griffiths.
“Upstream processes can have a significant impact on the final stability of the product.”
Will these novel colors incur higher costs?
“While they are more expensive, their contribution to the final product cost remains relatively small, as these colorants are used in minute percentages,” states Mr. Griffiths.
“As a nosebleed over a sink demonstrates, a small amount of color can have a significant impact.”
For brands that have historically relied on artificial colorings, this transition represents a significant upheaval.
“We are reformulating our cereals served in schools to eliminate FD&C colors by the 2026-27 school year,” confirms a spokesperson for WK Kellogg, the company behind Kellogg’s.
FD&C refers to specific certified synthetic color additives regulated by the FDA and approved under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
Last year, protesters gathered outside the company’s headquarters in Michigan, advocating for the removal of artificial dyes from cereals such as Froot Loops.
“We will cease launching new products containing FD&C colors, commencing in January 2026,” the spokesperson added.
This year, prominent food manufacturers, including Nestle, Kraft Heinz, General Mills, and Conagra, have all pledged to phase out artificial food colorings.
One of the challenges facing food brands dependent on artificial coloring is that many natural food dyes exhibit shorter shelf lives, according to Renee Leber, a food scientist at the Institute of Food Technologists.
“Synthetic dyes, conversely, typically outlast the shelf life of most products.”
She also suggests that the industry-wide rush to make this transition may create a “bottleneck” in production.
“We may not currently have all these colors readily available, but we have ten months to rectify that.”
Given that this is not an outright ban, will it still trigger widespread change within the U.S. food industry?
“If you are a cereal manufacturer with a brightly colored product and your competitors transition from synthetic to natural colors, you may not want to be the last to follow suit,” suggests Ms. Leber.
“The timeframe is tight, but companies are making every effort to comply.”
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