March 22, 2021
The Indian regulator FSSAI recently introduced that Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Tenth Amendment Regulations (2020), which recognizes Coloring Foods as a separate category from synthetic and natural colours, the latter which are considered additives.
The new standard now considers Coloring Foods as a food ingredient, for the primary function of colouring. Colouring Foods must be made from edible fruits, vegetables, spices, or herbs, using water extraction that retains the original characteristics of the source material’s colour, taste, and aroma.
The new guidelines are a sign of recognition by the local authority that consumer preferences are evolving, especially from growing awareness of clean label food products alongside the plant-based trend in India.
Colouring Foods are typically made from well-known fruit and vegetables and can be described on the label in a way that was simple for shoppers to understand, such as ‘Concentrate of radish and carrot’.
With high acceptance levels for plant-based ingredients, they provide instant reassurance and ensure widespread consumer appeal. In fact, the new guidelines have helped to define more clearly than before, the types of raw materials sources that are allowed for the production of coloring foods.
It is expected there will be the greatest demand in product categories including beverages, confectionery and ice cream, with a particular interest in the vibrant, Instagrammable shades that modern Indian consumers want.
Food and beverage businesses in India will have until July 2021 to comply with the new standards. And suppliers offering Coloring Foods are optimistic of growth in India, in part due to enhanced regulations, but also the broader consumer move towards clean label preferences.