EXBERRY colour supplier GNT has reached an important regulatory milestone after filing its safflower colour additive petition with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The petition seeks approval for safflower-based colours to be used across a broad range of food and beverage categories in the United States.
The US petition is supported by extensive safety data and scientific research developed to support the safe use of safflower concentrate in beverages, confections, frozen desserts, dairy and non-dairy applications, cereals, soups, dressings, pickled vegetables and other select uses.
As with all color additive petitions, review is conducted by the FDA and any outcome remains subject to the agency’s determination.
Safflower concentrate offers numerous technical advantages, including good pH, heat and light stability
Jeannette O’Brien, Vice President of Sales & Marketing at GNT USA, said: “This filing marks an important step in a long and rigorous process. Bringing a new colour additive petition to this stage takes deep technical understanding, comprehensive scientific work, and careful regulatory preparation to support the safety and intended use of the colour. For safflower, that has meant significant investment and nearly a decade of research and safety evaluation.”
If approved, safflower concentrate would provide a valuable addition to the plant-based yellow colour options available to US food and beverage manufacturers.
Safflower concentrate offers numerous technical advantages, including good pH, heat and light stability. Its water-soluble properties make it especially relevant for beverages and other applications where a clear yellow appearance is desired.
It can also be used as part of colour blends, helping manufacturers create shades including orange and green.
Alice Lee, Technical Marketing Manager at GNT USA, said: “Product developers need flexible colour options that can support different applications, processing conditions and shade targets. The value of safflower concentrate is not limited to yellow shades. Its water-soluble properties allow it to be used on its own or in blends with other plant-based colours to help manufacturers fine-tune a broad spectrum of bright, stable shades.”
