Color plays an integral part in our relationship to nature. From vivid rainbows against stormy skies to flashes of white from butterfly wings, our eyes are drawn towards vivid hues.
Natural colors come from an array of plant and mineral sources, and tend to be more long-lasting than synthetic dyes. But to achieve optimal results they often require special processing conditions or the blending of multiple sources for maximum efficacy.
Origins
Ancient civilizations used natural colors from nature to create stunning art and clothing designs, using brushes, smudges, smears and sprays to apply pigments directly onto canvas or paper for striking images that delighted audiences across cultures.
Dyes were highly prized commodities in many societies, as their effects could profoundly alter culture and status. Tyrian purple dye was traditionally employed by Greek and Roman nobility for dyeing their cloth with it; one gram required the efforts of 10,000 sea snails! Other popular pigments were madder, indigo, saffron and vegetable-based inks as valuable colors.
As demand for clean-label products increases and concerns over artificial dyes arise, companies are turning more frequently to natural food dyes as an excellent solution for meeting consumer health standards. Although they may not provide identical performance or stability as synthetic colors, natural food dyes offer health-conscious shoppers more hues and shades not possible with synthetic ones.
Symbolism
Colors communicate on more than just an intuitive level when used within their natural context. Colors create symbolic associations independent of their actual physical meaning, and throughout history people have used these symbols to communicate values, ideas and beliefs – such as green which symbolises life, growth and renewal but can also represent envy or jealousy in certain cultures.
Color symbolism in art has evolved with cultural perspectives over time. Paintings such as Claude Monet’s Water Lilies employ muted tones of blues and greens to express peace and serenity while Vincent van Gogh’s Starry Night uses vibrant, eye-catching hues that inspire awe and wonderment.
Black is often associated with death and darkness, and can also symbolize wealth and power. Therefore, writers frequently employ it to foreshadow future events in their works, as Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter depicts in its red letters worn by Hester that symbolize her adultery.
Health benefits
Natural colors are much safer and healthier alternatives to their synthetic counterparts, which have been linked with various health concerns. Derived from plant, animal or mineral sources without harmful chemicals added during processing, natural colors are also more environmentally-friendly as they’re made using renewable and sustainable resources.
Many different varieties of natural color come in an assortment of shades and hues, some more stable than others, requiring additional processing to achieve consistent results. pH levels, temperature fluctuations and other environmental conditions all play a part in how effective natural colors perform.
Carotenoids, paprika and turmeric are well-known natural colors, while more recently added water-soluble pigments from Spirulina microalgae known as phycocyanins are increasingly popular. Their vibrant blue hue provides a high degree of light resistance as well as heat, light and pH stability which make them perfect for use in beverage and dairy applications.
Environmental impact
Natural food colorings tend to have less environmental impact than synthetic dyes, which have long been recognized for polluting the environment. Natural colorants can also be biodegradable and have a smaller carbon footprint, as well as being cheaper to produce than their synthetic counterparts. Their growing popularity within clean label trends is fueling this demand even further; manufacturers are replacing synthetic ingredients with natural ones in order to comply with regulations more easily.
Utilizing natural pigments has become increasingly prevalent among vegan and plant-based brands. Earthy tones such as spirulina green and turmeric yellow have proven highly sought-after as they showcase sustainability efforts while offering aesthetic appeal.
Fermented fungi and bacteria techniques have significantly expanded the availability of heat-resistant natural colors that are reliable and sustainable, suitable for various applications. Furthermore, manufacturers have increasingly utilized extraction of pigments from paprika extract and spirulina extract as sources for natural pigments.
