Two bioengineering companies teamed up and achieved the first step in creating a new and bolder form of natural food coloring.
Using technology that uses fermentation and cell engineering, Ginkgo Bioworks and Phytolon, two major players in the bioengineering world, have become one step closer to making a natural food coloring that’s as vibrant and cost-effective as artificial dyes.
According to a report released on 1/31/24 by Food Business News, the two companies are now closer to creating a healthy and more natural alternative to synthetic food dyes.
The Difference in Colors
Natural dyes such as beets, cochineal, and butterfly peas are healthier and more eco-friendly than artificial food coloring. Their colors, however, are less bright and rich and they are more expensive to produce. This makes them cost more for bakeries, restaurants, and home cooks who want a coloring to be both cheap and pretty.
To help make natural food coloring more affordable and just as rich in color as artificial dyes, Ginkgo Bioworks and Phytolon teamed up in February, 2022. The collaboration’s efforts have led to a wide range of natural dyes that cover the full color spectrum.
The project uses yellow to purple betalain pigments, which give foods like beets and swiss chard their signature colors. Through yeast strains and fermentation, the team has been able to produce natural food coloring that is cheaper to produce and highly effective.
Our History with Coloring Food
Since ancient times, foods containing pigments have been used to color our food. Substances such as carotenoids—like the orange beta-carotene in pumpkins, or anthocyanins in blueberries, have a long history with food coloring. They’re also good for our health.
Natural food colorings take time and money to produce. That’s where unnatural dyes came in.
Photo by Luke Schobert on Unsplash
Since the late 19th century, we’ve been pumping out synthetic dyes and adding them to our food to cut costs and make everything look a little prettier. Soon after, regulatory agencies had to step in quickly after harmful chemicals like lead in food coloring started making their way into our bodies.
Since the early 20th century, governments around the world and food companies have kept strict guidelines for making synthetics that are safe for us to eat. However, unnatural dyes still lack the nutrition and health properties as natural dyes and, according to some studies, may pose long-term health risks.
Ginkgo Bioworks and Phytolon see their brightly colored and affordable natural dyes hitting the US market soon. Having a healthy and comparably priced alternative will hopefully bring other companies into the market and change the way we look at food coloring in the near future.