Stabilized annatto-caramel food colorant
US6156360A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 2, 1999 |
| Grant date | Dec 5, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 2, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA23L5/48
- WIPO fieldFood chemistry
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
Disclosed are annatto-caramel food colorant blends having a pH of about 9.1 to 10 that exhibit improved stability against precipitation and provide a rich brown color. The colorant blends are particularly useful for use in RTE cereals. The blends are characterized by low ammonia contents (<0.05%). Also disclosed are methods for preparing low ammonia content caramel color solutions. The methods involve adding KOH to a caramel solution to a pH of >10, off gassing ammonia to reduce the ammonia content to <0.05%, and acidifying the caramel colorant to a pH of 6.5 to 7 to provide a treated low ammonia neutral aqueous caramel colorant. An aqueous annatto colorant having a pH of about 12.5 to 13.5 is admixed with the treated low ammonia neutral caramel solution in a solids weight ratio of about 1:1 to about 4:1.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.