Simply natural colors
Products
Yellow
Safflower [Carthamus tinctorius L.] derived pigment – cartamidine
This flower, which originated in the Middle East and India, gives a yellow color to a variety of products. It is one of the oldest plants used in the dye and cosmetic industry. In ancient times it replaced saffron, which was expensive at the time. The flowering period is in July and August, followed by the time of harvesting the inflorescences. Before dispatching, the harvested inflorescences are dried. Nowadays, cartamidine is mainly used to color ice cream, bakery products or beverages and other products.
pH
dosing
The colors shown above are illustrative.
pH
dosing
The colors shown above are illustrative.
Red
Beet [Beta vulgaris L.] – a source of betaine
All currently cultivated varieties of beet are derived from the wild beet, which is found in the Middle East, around the Caspian Sea and in India. In Poland, it is a fairly common crop. Among the subspecies of beet, there are four groups in which properly selected varieties of beet are bred. For our industry, the most interesting variety is beet, which is bred for food coloring due to its high content of betalain pigments.
pH
dosing
The colors shown above are illustrative.
Black carrot [Daucus carota subsp.] – a source of anthocyanins
A variety of common carrot, native to Asia and cultivated there since ancient times. Brought to Europe in medieval times, it was cultivated for several centuries until it was displaced by the cultivation of the orange carrot in the Netherlands. One of Turkey’s traditional drinks, salgam, is prepared from fermented black carrot juice. Turkey is believed to be the largest producer of black carrots, while the black carrots processed at Zentis come from our own crops in Poland.
pH
dosing
The colors shown above are illustrative.
pH
dosing
The colors shown above are illustrative.
Currant [Ribes nigrum L.] – a source of anthocyanins
Its other name is stinkberry, due to the characteristic odor it emits. It is cultivated in Europe and Asia mainly in temperate climates. In Poland, it is mainly found in the wild throughout the lowlands and upland belt. It is also cultivated in Poland and processed in Zentis.
pH
dosing
The colors shown above are illustrative.
Chokeberry – [Aronia Medik.] – a source of anthocyanins
Its original place of occurrence is North America. It was brought to Europe in the late 17th century. For our industry, the most important part of the fruit is its peel, as this is where the most anthocyanins and other nutrients are found. Chokeberry, sometimes called “black gold”, is particularly valued for its properties that positively affect the human body.
pH
dosing
The colors shown above are illustrative.
Orange
Orange carrot – [Daucus L.] – a source of beta-carotene
According to legends, the orange carrot was grown in the Netherlands in the 17th century in honor of Prince William I Orański (Willem van Oranje), who led the Dutch revolution against the Spanish. His nickname the Dutch decided to use to bring the color orange into the pantheon of their national colors. Today, orange carrots can be found throughout almost the entire globe. While some of the wild varieties of orange carrots are poisonous, we use Polish carrots grown exclusively for Zentis – rich in the orange pigment beta-carotene – for our production.
pH
dosing
The colors shown above are illustrative.
Blue
Spirulina – a source of phycocyanin
The benefits of using this variety of spirulina have been known for centuries. The Aztecs were the first to introduce it into their diet. Spirulina, known all over the world, appears in the form of a green powder, which has many health properties. It contains in its composition many protein components, as well as vitamin B12 or Omega-3 acids. It also exhibits antioxidant properties. After separating the catorenoids into a water-soluble powder, it is widely used in the food industry to color ice cream or beverages blue. Due to the presence of protein, it is necessary to properly adjust the temperature and pH of the product to which you want to apply spirulina.
pH
dosing
The colors shown above are illustrative.
Brown
Dried apple – a source of Mailard reaction products
We achieve the brown color of our dye mainly due to the Maillard reaction. When the raw material is dried, a reaction occurs between sugars and amino acids, which, among other things, causes a brown color to appear on the surface of the dried apple. This reaction occurs for many other products that are subjected to heat treatment. The most common example of it is the browning of the crust on baked bread.
pH
dosing
The colors shown above are illustrative.
Purple
Purple potato – [Ipomea batatas] – a source of anthocyanins
It has a lower glycemic index than the regular potato. Behind the scenes, it is referred to as a truffle potato. The best known is the French variety of blue-purple potatoes – Vitelotte, also called Vitelotte noire, Negresse, Chinese truffle or truffle potatoes. This ancient variety, actually native to Chile and Peru, has been grown in France for many years, especially in the Picardy region, an area in the northern part of the country on the English Channel. The purple potato is prized for its distinctive violet shade in a near-neutral environmental reaction.
pH
dosing
The colors shown above are illustrative.
Pink
Radish – [Raphanus L.] – a source of anthocyanins
Although we associate this vegetable with the coming of spring, it is used quite differently in our industry. First of all, the radish we use for our products comes from Asia. For coloring purposes, a special variety of it is bred, in which the root is strongly colored red. Due to its fast flowering period, radish can be harvested twice a year. Radish was a prized vegetable in ancient China for its rich nutrients, while in ancient Rome it was a major staple in the diet of both poor people and slaves.
pH
dosing
The colors shown above are illustrative.
Hibiscus [Hibiskus sp.] – a source of anthocyanins
It is found in warmer areas of the world. Mainly in Asia, woody forms are usually encountered; in Poland it is usually a shrub. In Africa (as well as in the Caribbean and Thailand, among others) it is used to make a special tea. It is also the national flower of South Korea and Malaysia. An infusion of hibiscus benefits digestion and helps cleanse the body of toxins. The calyx produced by this plant has also found use as a raw material for the production of food coloring.
pH
dosing
The colors shown above are illustrative.