Chr.Hansen unveils major natural blue ingredient for confectionery ranges
Ingredients business Chr.Hansen has unveiled the global launch of its Fruitmax Blue 1506 WS, a distinctive natural liquid blue that has been developed to protect its colour the instant it hits hot candy masses.
As the business explained to Confectionery Production. despite the colour’s popularity, it is especially rare within the natural colour palette – with the only internationally accepted source stemming from spirulina, which is well regarded in nutrition and food supplement circles.
Until now, many manufacturers of gum and raspberry flavours have turned to artificial colouring for popular confectionery ranges, which are now possible using Danish-headquartered Chr.Hansen’s latest natural solution.
“Some of the best spirulina-based products, until now, needed to be pre-dispersed at production, which can be messy, difficult and inefficient for the producers,” explains Lotte Jeppesen, Global Industry Business Manager, Confectionery. “We have seen a built-up demand for precisely this product – it’s an easy and convenient solution for all types of boiled sweets, and it performs well in both sugar-free and sugar-based applications.”
The fact is, even in sugar-based categories, manufacturers win with natural and cleaner formulations. Hard candy is perhaps the most price-sensitive confectionery category, but also in this segment, consumers are increasingly wanting natural and healthy ingredients; in even their most indulgent moments.
“We are excited to put a product on the market that caters to this need. Our new patent-pending solution will be especially appealing to health conscious brands using other natural ingredients, like menthol in lozenges,” concludes Jeppesen.
Chr. Hansen combines 140 years of unique application and regulatory expertise with a strong, extensive global presence and the widest natural colour portfolio in the industry, bringing ideas, expertise and solutions – from the first product brief to the supermarket shelves.
The group has also made headlines this summer following a decision to enhance its Danish production facilities with 100% green energy with the installation of two new solar parks powering the business.
