ADM has unveiled its new line of PearlEdge proprietary white colour solutions, filling a “vital white space” in the market as global manufacturers move toward phasing out titanium dioxide (E171) from formulations. The solutions are derived from natural sources, including native corn starch, and delivers brilliant, stable and uniform white colouring for a variety of food and beverage applications. PearlEdge is suitable for use in confectionery as well as bakery icings and fillings.
Hélène Moeller, Vice President, Global Product Marketing at ADM, says: “PearlEdge Silk and Satin’s patent-pending technology enables a similar intensity of white colour as titanium dioxide, while also helping to provide stability and improved texture. Notably, PearlEdge Silk and Satin can also function as an important base colour for confections to help overlayed colours pop.”
Most recently, ingredient producer Blue California launched clean label whitening agents as an alternative to the potentially carcinogenic titanium dioxide. Another example is Lonza’s Vcaps Plus White Opal, its first commercially-available titanium dioxide-free semi-opaque capsule for food supplements. Other solutions, such as Norevo's Quick White, function by physically manipulating its ingredient’s crystal structure to reflect light in a special way that creates the colour white effect.
“Current alternative sources to titanium dioxide, including modified starch, calcium carbonate and calcium phosphate, present a wide range of drawbacks, such as substandard stability, consistency and vibrancy,” notes Hélène Moeller. For example, calcium carbonate and calcium phosphate can require extremely high usage rates to reach desired whitening, which can impact cost and negatively affect texture, she highlights. “Additionally, modified starch requires chemical modification to overcome poor solubility in cold water and high viscosity when gelatinized. These alternative offerings can also complicate the manufacturing process of panned confections, as they may increase the viscosity of sugar syrup in the confection, contributing to uneven coating and texture.”
