Food Coloring
Resource Guide, Product Usage, FAQs and more.
For caramel popcorn processed at very high heat (around 290–300°F): which colors will work?
High-heat applications like caramel popcorn are among the more challenging environments for natural colors. We've discussed red and green liquid optio...
For cotton candy: do flavors include color, and how do I reach a burgundy shade?
Our cotton candy products are separated into flavor-only and color-only offerings — they're not always combined in a single product. To add color to c...
What if I receive the wrong color product?
Contact our support team as soon as you identify the issue and we'll arrange an exchange or reshipment. Incorrect shipments do occasionally happen, an...
Are all natural and organic food colors in stock? What if something is back-ordered?
Stock levels vary by product, and some colors — natural orange, for example — can go out of stock periodically. If a specific color isn't available wh...
Can I get samples, product data sheets, or nutritional information for natural colors?
Yes. We can provide samples for evaluation, product specification sheets with ingredient and formulation details, and nutritional information for spec...
Will the natural blue color turn brown or fade?
It can, and this is one of the more challenging areas of natural color formulation. Spirulina-based blue — the most commonly used natural blue — is se...
What purple color options do you have, and how stable are they?
We offer purple-range options from different source materials, most commonly red radish and purple carrot. These two sources perform differently depen...
How should natural colors be listed on a product label?
Natural colors derived from plant sources need to be identified by their source on the ingredient label. The standard approach is to list them as "col...
Do your flavored powders contain added dyes?
No. Our flavored powders are made from natural sources and do not include synthetic dyes. If a colorant is present in a flavored product — for example...
Do you offer natural colors in both powder and liquid formats? Can you do custom runs?
Yes, we offer both powder and liquid formats, and the right choice depends on your application. Powders are generally better suited to dry application...
What's available to add color to beverages and snow cone syrups without artificial dyes?
We offer natural, plant-based food colors that are suitable for beverage applications and snow cone syrups. No synthetic dyes are used in any of our p...
What's a good starting dosage for natural colors in dairy products and puddings?
There isn't a universal starting ratio because the right amount depends on your base formula, your target shade, and how your specific processing cond...
Why do natural colors look more pastel or muted compared to synthetic dyes?
This is an inherent characteristic of natural pigments rather than a quality issue. The chemistry of plant-based pigments produces a different range o...
How do I achieve specific shades like pink, red, burgundy, or deeper tones?
Start with the natural red or pink base that best suits your application and increase the dosage gradually until you reach your target shade. Natural ...
How do natural colors behave with heat and pH? Will they hold up in my process?
This is one of the most important practical questions to ask when working with natural colors, and the honest answer is that it depends on the specifi...
Are your colors plant-based?
Yes, Nature’s Flavors colorants come from plant-based sources, including spirulina, red radish, purple carrot, annatto, and turmeric, among others. Ev...
Do your color products use artificial dyes or synthetic colors?
We do not add synthetic dyes to any of our products. All of our liquid food colors and food color powders are derived from fruits, plants, or vegetab...
Is food coloring safe to consume?
Yes, our food colors are edible and safe to eat in your food-grade applications. Our food dyes are made with only the finest natural and organic ingre...
Can you mix shades of food coloring to make new colors?
Yes, you can mix different shades of food coloring to make your own unique color palette for any culinary creation. Create lighter shades of pinks, gr...
What types of food coloring are available from Nature’s Flavors?
Our flavorists have created food colors that are natural, certified organic, vegan, kosher, gluten-free, water-soluble, oil-soluble, and made with pla...
What colors of food dye are available from Nature’s Flavors?
Our flavor chemists have developed natural and organic food dyes in a variety of colors. See our entire selection, including red, blue, caramel, brown...
What types of baked goods and treats use food coloring?
Food colors can be added to all sorts of baked goods, treats, and even beverages. Even some culinary foods use food coloring. Some popular types of co...