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Oterra

Caramel is made from controlled heating of food-grade carbohydrates and is one of the most common natural colorants. There are four different types of caramel, distinguished by how they are made and used.

Caramel's warm, brown tint lends itself to a broad range of applications and the color is frequently used in beverages, ice cream, bakery products and sauces. Caramel offers excellent light, heat and pH stability.

Oterra offers all four types of caramel, most of them both as liquids and powders.

Caramel Natural Brown Color

Conventional (Non-GMO)

Red beet natural color is bright red to bluish red, depending on processing and application. Our natural coloring substance is obtained by squeezing out, concentrating and pasteurizing the juice of beet roots.
		
It is commonly used in yogurts, ice cream and soups. We can assist you in converting from artificial colors to natural red from both a technical and a commercial point of view.

Red Beet Natural Color

Turmeric natural color is yellow to greenish yellow. Our natural coloring substance is obtained by squeezing out, concentrating and pasteurizing the juice of turmeric.
		
It is commonly used in beverages, ice cream and confectionary. We can assist you in converting from artificial colors to natural yellow from both a technical and a commercial point of view.

Turmeric Natural Yellow Color

Malt provides a natural dark brown color. Our natural coloring substance is obtained from roasted barley and is enjoyed for its mild flavor.
		
It is commonly used in beverages such as whiskey and beer, bakery foods, ice cream and cereals. We can assist you in converting from artificial colors to natural brown from both a technical and a commercial point of view.

Malt Natural Brown Color

A natural blue color or coloring foodstuff has in many regions been missing in the color palette, leaving the candy manufactures only with synthetic blue possibilities such as Brilliant Blue, Patent Blue and others. The few anthocyanin based natural blue solutions have only been applicable in a very narrow field of candy products, such as hard panned products.

With Spirulina approved in e.g. Europe and North America, it creates many new possibilities for natural blue confections.

The benefits of Spirulina
Bright blue shade in most confectionery products
Concentrated product formulations  to reduce dosage
Powders and liquid formulation
Possibilities of e.g. green, purple and brown blends
Approved in North America (Color: Spirulina) and EU (Spirulina Concentrate)

Spirulina Natural Blue Color

Chlorophyll is the green pigment found in leaves, vegetables, grasses and all organisms capable of photosynthesis. Common sources of the pigment for coloring purposes include grasses, spinach and nettles. It is labeled E140 in Europe. 

Wide range of chlorophyll colors
The chlorophyllin extract is both light and heat stable. Oterra's chlorophyll range includes water-soluble and oil-soluble liquids as well as powders. We have acid-stable products for low-pH media such as certain beverages. We also have encapsulated products for applications such as sugar-coated confectionery. We offer a complete range of different shades, from yellowish green to bluish green. To obtain an even wider range of green hues, we also offer blends of chlorophyll and different yellow pigments.

Chlorophyll for all industry needs
Chlorophyll is often used to color confectionery, ice cream, fruit preparations, dairy, beverages, bakery and prepared food. In many dairy and beverage products, for example, chlorophyll is used for kiwi, lime and mint flavors, often in combination with yellow. It is also a good choice for more savory directions, such as green pepper, guacamole and cucumber.

Chlorophyll is an excellent replacement for artificial yellows and blues.

Chlorophyll Natural Green Color

Carthamus is extracted from the Carthamus tinctorius flower and contains flavorings, pigments and other ingredients from the plant.

Carthamus tinctorius, also called safflower, is an annual plant native to the Mediterranean countries and is cultivated in Europe and USA. Besides a subtle hay flavor, carthamus provides a greenish-yellow to yellow hue at pH values below 7 and an orange-red hue at pH 7–9.

Oterra offers carthamus both as a powder and a liquid. In its dry form it is used in blends for bakery products, confectionery and seasonings, whereas the liquid form can also be used in jams and desserts.

Carthamus (Safflower) Natural Yellow Color

As its name suggest, Carbo vegetabilis is made from fine particles of carbonized vegetable matter, suspended in water.

Carbo vegetabilis gives colors ranging from grey to black, depending on the concentration used. The suspension offers excellent light, heat and pH stability, and it is used in liquorice, ice cream and confectionary.

Carbo Vegatabilis Natural Black Color

Anthocyanin is the international food and beverage industry’s preferred natural food colors in shades ranging from orange, red, pink and purple to blue. Oterra offers a full range of anthocyanin natural food color solutions as well as a range of fruit juice and vegetable concentrates. Anthocyanins offer good light, heat and pH stability in most applications and can withstand pasteurization and ultra-heat treatment (UHT).

Origin of anthocyanin
Anthocyanin is a natural pigment (labeled E163 in Europe) found widely in nature from edible fruits and vegetables such as grape, sweet potato, elderberry, red radish, red cabbage, blackcurrant, and black carrot. The color shade is pH dependent, orange-red in acid solutions and violet-blue in alkaline. Due to certain technical properties these sources are very stable to light, pH and heat. This makes them excellent replacers of artificial red food colors.

Sourcing of anthocyanin
Oterra has developed an international sourcing network in Europe, mainly in the Mediterranean region. For example, Oterra has an extended sourcing network for grape in the three main anthocyanin countries France, Italy and Spain. This network allows us to secure high quality products every year and all over the year. In the middle of this sourcing network, our "state of the art" natural colors factory in Italy is producing finished goods according to high quality food industry standards, with traceability from the field to the finished product.

Usage of anthocyanin
The many different types of anthocyanin natural food color solutions technically allow almost any food or beverage to be colored from orange, red, pink and purple to blue. However, anthocyanin is most commonly used for coloring of beverages, fruit preparations, confectionery and ice cream. 

History and future of anthocyanin
Anthocyanins started to be commercially produced 30 years ago and Oterra is a pioneer in this pigment. Our first production of anthocya

Anthocyanin Natural Pink and Purple Color

Annatto is the international food and beverage industry’s preferred natural color in orange shades, ranging from light, yellowish orange to deep, dark orange. Oterra offers a full range of annatto natural color solutions including water-soluble, oil-soluble, acid-stable and encapsulated formulations, all with good light and heat stability.

Origin and sourcing of Annatto
The annatto color pigments are bixin and norbixin (labeled E 160b in Europe), which are extracted from the bright crimson seeds of a tropical shrub (Bixa orellana L.) growing in South and Central America, India and Africa. Annatto seeds have long been valued as a spice for flavoring and coloring savory dishes. The major proportion of the world production of annatto comes from the collection of seeds from wild trees or trees planted on family farms. Oterra has its own sustainable production and sourcing of annatto.

Usage of annatto
The many different types of annatto natural color solutions technically allow almost any food to be colored yellow to reddish. However, annatto is most commonly used for coloring of dairy products such as cheese, butter and spread.

History of annatto
For centuries, annatto was a traditional ingredient for food preparation and for cosmetic purposes. The Aztecs mixed annatto with cocoa to give a special taste and a more pleasing color to chocolate. Annatto was also used in their religious rituals, e.g., as war paint on male warriors. In the 17th century, European traders brought the seeds to Europe as the first vegetable color in large quantities. Since then, annatto has been used as a food colorant. Oterra has been supplying annatto colors for the dairy industry since 1876.

Annatto Natural Orange Color

Oterra is the largest global provider of naturally sourced colors for the food, beverage, dietary supplements and pet food industry. Since our first color launch in 1876, we’ve drawn on the power of nature’s true colors and championed that natural is best. And we’ve done everything in our power to bring the very best of nature to consumers ever since. 

No one knows color like nature. And no one knows natural color like us. It’s our passion. It’s why we’re leading the way to a world with more naturally colored food. A world free from artificial ingredients. A world where consumers can enjoy food that’s more authentic, safe and sustainable. Because when it comes to color, we believe nature got it right the first time. 

Support from the ground up
We work closely with our growers and suppliers. Our breeding programs ensure they have access to some of the best varieties and ongoing support. And we use sourcing practices tailored to specific growing areas, so everyone gets a fair deal. Our partners know they can count on us – and we can count on them – and of course this means a sustainable supply of great products. Manufacturers depend on us to help them do great things with color.

We step lightly
Leaving a light footprint is important to us. We are constantly on the lookout for new ways to improve efficiency, reduce consumption and use renewable energy. And we take care of what we have by reusing by-products from production for other purposes.

Together towards natural
We believe it’s possible to do good business and still do good. Because together, we can make better food and work towards a fully transparent food system that meets the changing needs of consumers. And because natural – of course – is the only way to go.

Lutein is a warm, yellow color. Our natural coloring substance is obtained from marigold flowers found abundantly throughout Mexico.
		
It is commonly used in juices, cakes and functional foods. We can assist you in converting from artificial colors to natural yellow from both a technical and a commercial point of view.

Oterra

Lutein Natural Yellow Color

Oterra