Healthy Food Ingredients, Fargo, N.D., offers ways to create purple color through its Suntava Purple Corn, which has a high level of anthocyanins, said Terry Howell, Suntava Purple Corn ingredient expert for Healthy Food Ingredients.
“The versatility of the anthocyanins found in purple corn also enables product development specialists to create various shades of purple depending on a product’s pH level,” he said. “We have partnered with a well-known manufacturer to produce both a liquid and powdered purple color extract from the deeply colored kernels of our domestically produced Suntava Purple Corn. In addition, companies can create beautifully colored cereals, snacks, breads, muffins, crackers, pasta, etc., by incorporating our purple corn flour, meal, snack meal or grits into their finished products.”
Purple corn especially works well in replacing Red 40.
“The ability to adjust the color to various shades of red or purple depending on pH is highly appealing to R.&D. professionals,” Mr. Howell said. “Currently purple corn coloring is seeing great success as a natural alternative to Red 40 in confectionery, beverage, dairy (including ice cream and yogurt), desserts and other baked goods.”