Gardenia Blue E40 | Natural Water-Soluble Food Colorant

What is Gardenia Blue?

Gardenia Blue is a natural water-soluble blue pigment derived from gardenia fruit and converted through bio-enzymatic hydrolysis technology. Its core coloration mechanism involves genipin, generated from gardenin under enzymatic action, binding with amino acids to form stable blue complexes. This provides a pure lake blue hue while offering superior coloring efficiency and process economics.

Guanyan Blue E40 features a core characteristic of χ-value ≥40, offering dual advantages of high color strength and low dosage requirements. It exhibits stable azure blue coloration across pH 3-8 and maintains heat resistance above 120°C, making it suitable for diverse applications including beverages, baked goods, and confectionery. This product exhibits excellent water solubility and uniform dispersion. It can be blended with Gardenia Yellow to achieve a complete blue-green color spectrum. Completely free of synthetic colorants, it complies with EU E163, US FDA, and organic certification standards, meeting clean label requirements.

Green Spring Technology possesses over 20 years of experience in natural extract R&D, establishing a full-chain quality control system from gardenia cultivation to finished product manufacturing. The company strictly adheres to international standards including EU EC 396/2023/915, with production processes certified under ISO22000, HACCP, BRC, and other protocols to ensure batch consistency and global compliance. Leveraging our specialized R&D team, we offer customized color value and formulation solutions accompanied by authoritative third-party testing reports, providing clients with secure, stable, and reliable natural pigment partnerships.

Specification:

Regulation:

It conforms to EU regulations.

Benefits:

Process Compatibility and Production Friendliness

Gardenia Blue exhibits outstanding process compatibility, dissolving rapidly and dispersing uniformly. It stably binds with various common food matrices—such as syrups, protein solutions, and lipid emulsion systems—without flocculation or precipitation. It maintains consistent color in continuous production and is suitable for multiple processing methods including spray drying and extrusion molding, significantly reducing color adjustment difficulties and waste rates on production lines.

Sensory Experience and Consumer Perception Enhancement

As a natural pigment, Gardenia Blue avoids the bitter aftertaste associated with synthetic dyes, preserving the original flavor profile of products. Its soft, pure blue hue evokes positive associations with “natural and healthy” attributes, making it particularly suitable for categories sensitive to ingredient sourcing—such as children's foods and premium beverages. This helps brands establish differentiated advantages both visually and conceptually.

R&D Flexibility and Innovation Support

Gardenia Blue is compatible with functional ingredients like polyphenols and vitamins, maintaining color performance in both transparent and opaque systems. R&D teams can achieve nuanced color control—from sky blue to deep ocean blue—by adjusting concentrations and ratios, providing broader creative freedom for new product development. This makes it particularly suitable for creating visually compelling, conversation-starting products like seasonal limited editions and collaboration items.

Applications:

In the Food Field:

Gardenia Blue is suitable for coloring savory systems such as sauces for prepared dishes, compound seasoning sauces, and ready-to-eat soups. It maintains color stability in neutral to slightly acidic environments. For instance, incorporating natural blue into plant-based sauces or seafood seasoning powders enhances visual freshness and quality recognition while meeting clean label requirements.

Functional Beverages and Innovative Formulations

For functional liquid products like electrolyte water, collagen drinks, and probiotic beverages, Gardenia Blue delivers transparent or soft-hued blue tones while maintaining compatibility with other active ingredients. In emerging formats such as effervescent tablets and freeze-dried fruit chunks, its excellent water solubility and stability ensure consistent color retention both in dry and rehydrated states.

For Animal Nutrition:

In premium pet wet food, chew toys, and nutritional supplements, gardenia blue serves as a safe coloring agent that enhances product visual appeal. Its plant-based origin aligns with the “no artificial additives” trend in pet food and meets international safety standards for pet feed, helping brands establish differentiated natural product lines.