Oterra launches radish-based red to replace Red 40 in US cereals, snacks and baked goods

Oterra, a leading producer of natural colors and color solutions, today announced the launch of ColorFruit® Red Radish Powder, a radish-based red offering consistent color performance across food applications as a naturally sourced alternative to FD&C Red No. 40

FD&C Red No. 40 (Red 40) is still one of the most widely used synthetic color additives in the United States. While many food manufacturers are actively transitioning to naturally sourced colors, replacing Red 40 can be challenging in categories where natural color solutions must deliver consistent results under different manufacturing conditions, maintain shade integrity in finished products, and meet the stability and quality expectations required throughout a product's intended shelf life.

“Our customers tell us that finding a Red 40 replacement goes beyond achieving the right color in the lab. It needs to be consistent, hold up reliably in the finished product, maintain color stability throughout the product's lifecycle, and make commercial sense,” said Chari Rai, Head of Innovation, North America at Oterra.

According to Innova Market Insights*, approximately 70% of synthetically colored food and beverage product launches in the United States contained Red 40 during the 12 months ending October 2026. Bakery, cereals and snacks represented some of the largest categories containing red pigments.

Key benefits of ColorFruit® Red Radish Powder include:

• Vibrant red shades at neutral pH helping maintain bright, appealing color in applications where many natural reds struggle to perform.

• Reliable performance through baking and extrusion, supporting color stability throughout demanding manufacturing processes.

• Consistent color throughout shelf life, helping products maintain their visual appeal from production through consumption.

• High color strength, delivering strong color impact at low use levels.

• Competitive cost-in-use, helping manufacturers balance color performance and formulation economics.

“ColorFruit® Red Radish Powder gives formulators a practical route to replace Red 40 in cereals, snacks, baked goods and frostings, and our team in Mount Pleasant is ready to help them make that move,” Rai added.

For more information about ColorFruit® Red Radish Powder and Oterra's portfolio of synthetic color replacement solutions, visit https://oterra.com/red-40-replacement-red-radish.

*Innova New Products Database, 12 months to October 2026