Additives suitable for natural and vegan clean label applications, like colourants and flavours, feature in Omya’s 2021 porfolio.
Swiss mineral export Omya is meeting consumer demand for natural and vegan-friendly additives like colourants, flavours and vitamins in products.
As part of its 2021 European distribution portfolio of added-value ingredients for the creation of products meeting emerging consumer demand, it is focusing on additives suitable for natural and vegan clean label applications, like meat alternatives and plant-based milk.
With global sourcing and a reliable supplier network, the Swiss brand is able to offer carefully selected specialities in small or large batches for specific individual processing challenges. Omya says that a demand for natural, plant-based and vegan clean label applications is emerging, and it’s meeting those needs with some innovative solutions.
One of them is purple sweet potato concentrate, obtained from the tuber, with shades from red to purple. It replicates meat-like colours for plant-based burger patties or vegan sausages. In addition, it helps provide a natural appearance for “drinkable and spoonable” dairy alternatives.
Another vegan additive is safflower extract, derived from the petal and resulting in a yellow to bright orange colour. It also aids in the authentic appearance of dairy alternatives.
Then there are yeast extracts, which are characterised by umami and kokumi flavours. These enhance the taste of food via its naturally occurring amino acids. In plant-based meat, yeast extracts provide natural taste-masking, as well as a flavour and colour similar to conventional meat. Moreover, they contribute to the reduction of salt in a range of applications.
Vitamins D and B12 have long been talked about as essential supplements to a vegan diet, with many plant-based products fortified with these nutrients. Omya has also worked on these vegan additives.
“Since our foundation in 1884, Omya has been committed to implementing the principles of sustainability at all company levels,” said Stefan Lander, the company’s vice president of consumer goods, group sales and marketing. So we are delighted to support contemporary consumer demands with added value products, and services, from responsibly sourced materials that meet the essential needs of current and future generations.”
