The Green Processing of a Novel FDA Exempt ("Natural") Food Color Additive

There is growing consumer demand for "clean-label" food ingredients including color additives derived from natural sources. Colorant-related issues represent 3 of the top 10 concerns of consumers about food ingredients, and numerous food manufacturers and retailers have publically committed to removing synthetic food colors from their products. Fruit/vegetable-derived anthocyanins, carotenoids, and betalains have been employed as replacements for FD&C Yellows and Reds in food products. However, there are challenges to the use of these alternatives including: poor temperature, light, and oxygen stability; unfavorable solubility; diversion of food;and cost of raw materials. This projectexamines the potential application of a yellow-red, polyphenol-rich, avocado seed-derived extract (AvoColor) as a food color additive. AvoColor has been shown to have excellent color yield in a wide variety of food products including confections, juices, and baked goods, and is stable to light, oxygen, and temperature.AvoColor has the potential to meet consumer demands for "clean-label" food ingredients with appealing aesthetic properties (i.e. vibrant colors) and food manufacturers' requirements for food color additives with excellent stability characteristics. In addition, AvoColor is produced from the seed of the avocado that has no alternative commercial uses. The AvoColor production process diverts the avocado pit waste stream from landfills, in order to use the pit to extract dye. At an average of 16% of the fruit weight the seeds represent 26,240 tons of landfill waste in California alone. A pioneer in upcycling, AvoColor can help to reduce America's waste problem.