LycoRed Doubles Production Of Natural Red Color To Meet Growing Demand

LycoRed Ltd., Israel, announces production of Tomat-O-Red®, the only FDA-approved, all-natural red color based on lycopene, has doubled in the past month. This reflects the drive to meet a growing market demand among food and beverage manufacturers.

Consumer awareness for vegan / natural red color has driven the trend through to the food-making decisions by retailers and food manufacturers alike. Although dairy foods and beverages are the main applications for the powerful vegan/natural trend, the category is expected to grow into bakery, confectionery and cosmetics.

"We are pleased to offer a natural, red color, vegan-friendly and additive-free,” says Morris Zelkha, president and CEO of LycoRed. “This is especially significant given the recent public outcry over the use of cochineal extract, which is derived from beetles.” Zelkha reports that, with the increased demand and interest in Tomat-O-Red, production levels are ramping up daily, and the company is fielding a flood of inquiries from food and beverage wholesalers and manufacturers. “We are prepared to assist processors of all sizes, and help them to take advantage of the product’s many attributes and benefits,” Zelkha adds.

The global market for lycopene, both as a color additive and nutritional supplement, is expected to grow even more substantially in the next few years. It is estimated that the worldwide market for lycopene could reach $84 million by 2018, up from $66 million in 2010, according to a September 2011 report by the independent analysis group BCC Research, LLC..

LycoRed, a science-based Israeli company with more than 15 years experience, uses a patented process to produce Tomat-O-Red, an antioxidant-rich lycopene compound derived from non-genetically modified (GMO) tomatoes grown in California and Israel. In addition to being vegan, Tomat-O-Red is kosher- and halal-certified, and categorized as GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe).

Tomat-O-Red comes in a range of red-based colors, has a long shelflife and remains stable under a variety of food-processing conditions, including high temperature, UV light and low pH. The color additive is suitable for multiple food and beverage applications, including milk, yogurt, ice cream, surimi, chewing gum, and confectionery products, among others.

For more information, please visit www.lycored.com. For information specific to Tomat-O-Red, visit www.lyco-colors.com.