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Natural colours producer Oterra has launched FruitMax Purple 105, a clean label purple shade designed for beverage and confectionery manufacturers.

According to the company, the new solution provides ‘superior’ stability and is ideal for beverage applications such as carbonates, juice drinks, syrups and concentrates. Meanwhile, in confectionery, it is well-suited to gummies and jellies, hard candy and chewy candy applications.

FruitMax Purple 105 is a blended combination of black carrot and hibiscus concentrates. It can provide a Kosher-certified alternative to grape skin-based colours, and is also Halal-certified and suitable for vegetarians.

Phil Cook, head of strategic marketing at Oterra, said: “It is flavour-neutral and has enviable stability when exposed to heat, light and low pH conditions – and its recognisable ingredients appeal to customers as well. We see great use for it in berry-themed beverages and confectionery.”

He added: “Black carrot can create a deep, stable purple shade, while the hibiscus is super popular with younger consumers and is well known from its use in teas and other products with a wellness halo, so is great for clean label uses”.

According to an Oterra survey, purple is popular with young and ‘adventurous’ consumers. Gen Z favoured purple more than any other colour, while 92% of those who liked purple were open to trying new foods (70% described themselves as ‘adventurous’ or ‘very adventurous’). Nearly 80% of those surveyed said they find purple foods appealing.

FruitMax Purple 105 is approved for use in EU and Codex countries and can be labelled in the EU as ‘Black carrot concentrate. Hibiscus extract’ and in Codex countries as ‘Black carrot concentrate, and hibiscus concentrate’.