Cornell Red Shelf: A Breakthrough in Natural Food Coloring

For decades, the food industry has relied on synthetic colorants to provide processed, shelf-stable foods with fresh-looking colors. However, consumers are increasingly concerned about the potential negative health effects of these synthetics. Now, a team of Cornell food scientists has discovered a way to process natural beet juice, allowing food manufacturers to use it in place of synthetic dyes.

The FDA has banned certain dyes, such as Red 3, which was found to contribute to skin cancer, and others like Red 2, which was identified as a carcinogen. This has led consumers to be wary of red colors in foods. However, the natural colorants that give fresh foods their pleasing colors can degrade dramatically when exposed to common food processing techniques.

Cornell's team, led by Professor Alireza Abbaspourrad, has developed a new processing technique that combines beet root extract with locust bean gum, sodium alginate or gum arabic and then subjects it to very high pressure. This improves the stability of the red colorant during heated food processing and up to six weeks of cold storage.

This breakthrough means that food manufacturers can now use natural beet juice as a substitute for synthetic dyes in a much greater variety of foods, providing consumers with cleaner and healthier options. As Abbaspourrad said, 'Our goal is to provide clean ways of modifying ingredients, using chemistry knowledge and technology that we develop in the lab, to help the food industry create healthier, more palatable foods.'

This innovation has the potential to revolutionize the way food manufacturers approach coloring their products. By using natural ingredients like beet juice, they can create foods that not only look appealing but also meet consumers' increasing demands for healthier options.

In conclusion, Cornell's new processing technique is a significant step towards providing a cleaner and healthier alternative to synthetic dyes in the food industry. As consumers become more aware of the potential negative health effects of synthetics, this breakthrough has the potential to change the way we think about food coloring forever.

Cornell red shelf