Over the past decade, the snacking category has seen some transformative shifts. With global influences and a growing desire for healthier options, snacks today offer an exciting blend of health, indulgence, authenticity, and innovation. Natural colors, in particular, are becoming a crucial tool in this evolution, helping to shape new snack experiences and bring fresh flavor profiles to life.

Food Ingredients First speaks with experts at Givaudan about its forthcoming webinar, the key global macro trends influencing the snack markets, the regulatory shifts driving demand for natural colors, and how these colors can create vibrant new flavor experiences while replacing synthetic options.

“Natural colors are pivotal in snack innovation, influencing consumer perception and experiences. They serve as sensory cues that guide consumers’ expectations by enhancing the appeal of the snack, providing congruency with other sensorial characteristics like flavor and taste, and delivering surprising visual stimuli to invite consumers to explore new culinary profiles for fun, daring, or even healthier snacks,” says Megan Jacobs, global marketing director for colours. 

“New color innovations like our Endure Paprika or Amaize Orange-Red for Seasonings provide vibrant shades that act as close matches to synthetics, allowing manufacturers to provide consumers with the simple labels they want.”

Regarding how this trajectory evolved from synthetic ingredients to natural ones, Catalina Ospina, technical marketing specialist, says that the shift from synthetic to natural colors in snack applications has been marked by early adoption and ongoing innovation. 

“The market participation of natural colors in snacks has been robust and steady, reflecting a broader consumer demand for transparency and health-conscious choices. This has been accelerated recently with regulatory bodies, particularly in the US, pushing for a transition to natural colors.”

As manufacturers become more knowledgeable about the technical performance, vibrancy, and quality of natural colors, they are becoming more confident in their use. They understand that they can meet or even exceed the visual impact of synthetics while delivering friendlier and more acceptable options for consumers, Ospina underscores. 

Health and harmonization

Health-conscious consumers are increasingly interested in ingredient labels and are keen to read and understand what goes into their food. There has been an ongoing concern with fats, sugars, etc., and they’re now turning their eye toward colors, particularly synthetic colors in the US. One reason is the lack of global regulatory harmonization (e.g., EU vs. US regulations) regarding food colors. 

Jacobs believes this can create confusion and raise suspicion among consumers. 

“Many may also not know the critical role that food colors play in enhancing the appeal and sensory enjoyment of food. Some people have claimed that colors are simply for aesthetics. Still, colors contribute to the overall experience of enjoying food, providing flavor indicators and organoleptic properties like mouthfeel and spiciness.”

While the scrutiny surrounding food colors is understandable, “it is essential to foster informed discussions about their safety and functionality,” she continues. “Promoting transparency and education can help consumers make more informed choices that align with their values and preferences.”

There are many natural color options available that can be used as alternatives to synthetics, as seen in Europe, which has essentially already converted from synthetics to naturals, Jacobs adds. 

Broader industry trends

The recent announcement in the US to phase out synthetic color additives is driving significant trends in the F&B sector. These trends focus on friendly labels, health, sustainability, education, and innovation, reflecting a broader shift toward transparency and consumer empowerment in food choices.

Other factors shaping innovation include health, convenience, sustainability, personalization, and technology, which manifest in the diversification of plant-based options, functional ingredients, tailor-made products catered to special nutritional needs and tastes, on-the-go options, and tech integration (e.g., smart packaging).

Future of snacks

According to Ospina, the future for natural colors in snacks is “very promising, driven in part by the changing regulatory landscape leading to an increased emphasis on transparency and consumer safety.”

“Also, the rising consumer preference for more natural products is propelling the demand for snacks colored naturally. This is a great opportunity to explore more biotechnology and new sources, such as our upcoming Everzure Galdieria, which is created sustainably through fermentation,” she notes. 

But there are many nuances to understand and technical subtleties to keep in mind when using natural colors effectively, highlights Ospina. Collaborating with color scientists and experts is essential for brands to innovate and create fun, novel, and healthier snacks that appeal to consumers.

Givaudan has identified four significant macrotrends that are currently impacting snacks innovation, that include; the search for connections, whether with a nostalgic past, familiar flavors, or exotic experiences; the enjoyment of the senses as an exploratory immersion in new and exciting worlds; a desire for products of greater convenience, quality, sustainability, etc.; and the desire for holistic and personalized approaches to health and wellness. 

“In all these macro trends, we have to highlight the visual aspect of the food experience, wher natural colors play the role of a language communicating sensible and objective factors like flavor and taste identity and intensity, but also subjective concepts, like emotions, ideals, quality, and authenticity,” shares Jacobs.

Finally, there is a growing consumer trend focused on products that deliver on the promise of ‘better’ in terms of cost, convenience, quality, and sustainability. 

“People are seeking solutions that address their individual needs as well as the needs of the planet,” adds Ospina. “Customers are seeking plant-based snack options that provide both eco-friendly and nutritious choices, without compromising on cost, taste or convenience.”

“They also want to embrace the potential of ‘waste’ as a resource by enjoying potato crisps, extruded snacks, and savory crackers that incorporate upcycled or imperfect ingredients, appealing to their eco-conscious preferences.”

You can register for the webinar on May 14 here.