Natural Plant-based Food Color Sources

Here’s a quick guide to natural, plant-based food colors and their sources. The color shades may vary depending on individual crop characteristics, such as soil conditions. The colors may also be altered by adding citric acid or sodium bicarbonate to adjust the pH.  Some colors are blended to make secondary colors.

Not all colors are allowed for all types of foods, due to FDA restrictions.

BLACK: Blends of purple carrot, beet, lycopene (tomato), red cabbage, caramel, and grape

BLUE: Spirulina, butterfly pea flower

DARK BLUE: Cabbage (labeled vegetable color)

GREEN: Blends of spirulina and turmeric, or beta carotene and annatto, chlorophyllin

ORANGE: Annatto, beta carotene, paprika

RED: Radish, blends of beet & turmeric or annatto

PINK: Beet

PURPLE: Black carrot, purple sweet potato, red cabbage

YELLOW: Turmeric (curcumin), annatto, beta-carotene, saffron