Blue California launches clean-label whitening agents

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Blue California (Rancho Santa Margarita, CA) launches clean-label, food-grade whitening agents, as a replacement for the white colorant titanium dioxide for use in products such as chewing gum, candies, pastries, chocolates, coffee creamers, and cake decorations. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recently deemed titanium dioxide as not safe, although it is FDA GRAS at a maximum weight of 1%.

“Brands that seek to replace the titanium dioxide white colorant will find many benefits to Blue California’s patent-pending food-grade whitening agents,” said Cuie Yan, PhD, vice president of encapsulation, in a press release. “Our alternative to titanium dioxide is industry-changing with opacifying or whitening effects and excellent sensory benefits with a delicious creamy/rich mouthfeel and contains proprietary ingredients that may have additional benefits such as supporting cognitive health." 

Yan says the agents are heat and pH stable for a variety of applications. They also have a similar size in diameter to the traditional titanium dioxide with higher L values (whiter). According to Blue California, the whitening agents have been tested on chewing gum. When compared to titanium dioxide, the whitening effect was similar, increasing as the dosage increases.