As more consumers begin to eat less traditional meat, they are switching over to meat alternative options but still expect them to deliver the same look, taste, and experience that they are used to with standard meat products. Luckily there are a wide range of natural colours for meat alternatives to help developers make this expectation a reality – from raw-to-cooked burgers, to pre-cooked mince and sausages, and now seafood alternatives.
Plant-based proteins are typically neutral in pH and are stored in the refrigerator/freezer section, so a wide variety of colours can be successfully applied to these meat-free applications: turmeric, beta-carotene, annatto, and beet provide yellows to reds that can help achieve a ‘raw’ look. When blended with class I caramels or natural brown options, this helps create the red to brown transition that flexitarians are looking for in raw-to-cooked applications.
Naturbrown® ingredients or class I caramels can be used for pre-cooked options. They range in colour from light golden browns, to mimic turkey or chicken-type products, all the way to dark red-brown colours for beef-type products.
Looking to learn more about how to apply natural colours to these types of applications? Check out our webinars: Natural colours for Meat Alternatives vol. 1 and I Can’t Believe It’s Not Meat! Natural Colours for Meat Alternatives vol. 2 on our Learning Center! Or contact us to get started on your project.
