Industry Hotspot | FDA "expands" three types of natural pigments-Zhongda Hengyuan analyzes the application plan of natural pigments!
On May 9, 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved three natural food pigments: cyanobacteria extract, butterfly pea flower extract, and calcium phosphate, further restricting synthetic pigments. And with Generation Z becoming the main consumer, the "ingredient party"'s attention to food safety has reached a new high. According to Innova Market Insights data, the annual growth rate of global products containing natural pigments will reach 12% in 2023, far exceeding synthetic pigments (2%). The three pigments approved by the FDA this time just meet consumer demand.
01. Cyanobacteria extract Cyanobacteria extract is a blue pigment extracted from extremely acidophilic and thermophilic single-cell red algae, and its main component is phycocyanin.
01.1 Natural pigment phycocyanin replaces synthetic pigment brilliant blue
As a leading domestic phycocyanin supplier, Zhongda Hengyuan relies on its own spirulina raw material base, and uses patented technology to break through the technical bottlenecks of natural pigment transparency, solubility, light and heat stability, etc., to improve the application stability of the product. The color tone presents multiple tones from bright blue to deep sea blue, which can be used to replace synthetic pigments (such as brilliant blue), and has the dual advantages of natural beauty and food safety, helping the baking industry, ice cream, beverages and other products to create highly recognizable visual labels.
01.2 Natural pigment Gardenia Blue replaces synthetic pigment Brilliant Blue
As the world's largest manufacturer of gardenia products, Zhongda Hengyuan has built a raw material base for the entire industry chain with its leading technology and scale advantages. The application of Gardenia blue pigment is almost unaffected by pH, with a stable color tone at pH 4.0 - 10.0, no precipitation at pH 2.5 - 4.0, and good protein dyeing ability. It has a variety of tones (including dark blue, sky blue, and purple blue), and also provides products with good light resistance to meet the needs of various industries and customers.
02. Butterfly pea flower extract
Butterfly pea flower extract is derived from the petals of the legume plant butterfly pea, and its core ingredient is anthocyanin. The color of butterfly pea flower extract changes from blue to blue-purple as the pH changes, and turns purple/pink when exposed to acid.
02.1 Zhongda Hengyuan Anthocyanin Series Products
With the continuous upgrading of consumer health consumption needs and the strengthening of the global market's control over synthetic pigments, natural anthocyanin pigments have ushered in a broad space for development. As an industry leader, Zhongda Hengyuan's anthocyanin pigment products (purple carrots, purple sweet potatoes, red radishes, red cabbages, and red grape skins) have significant advantages. These products are natural, healthy, and meet consumer demand.
03. Calcium phosphate (white pigment) Calcium phosphate, FDA approved calcium phosphate as a white pigment, approved for use in ready-to-eat chicken products, white melting candy, donut candy and coated candy candy.
03.1 Titanium dioxide alternative Zhongda Hengyuan has launched a Natural White pigment product in response to the urgent market demand for titanium dioxide (TiO₂) alternatives. The product has the characteristics of high whiteness, small particle size, uniform dispersion, significant whitening effect, and no astringency. It can be widely used in solid beverages, chocolate coatings, baking, candy, jelly, condiments and other fields.
