A visit to the bakery usually involves temptation by cupcakes or pastries in enticing hues of orange, pink and purple. What if we could create those vibrant shades of sweet treats without artificial additives and as naturally as bread rises?
Israeli startup Phytolon (a combination of phyto, the Greek word for plant, and lon, Arabic for color) has developed strains of baker’s yeast that can produce 75 percent of the colors used in the food industry – including shades of orange, red, pink and purple.
The startup’s yeast produces the betalain pigments that are naturally found in bright red beetroot, sunny yellow cactus fruit and brilliantly purple dragon fruit.
The special strains of yeast produce these colors through fermentation – a natural process in which microorganisms normally transform sugars and starches into products such as carbon dioxide or alcohol. Phytolon’s fermentation process results in betalain instead.
The startup says it takes a “very short time” to produce large amounts of pigment, which can then be used in confectionery, baking, dairy products and even plant-based meats.
And unlike natural food coloring, which is traditionally sourced from plants such as beetroot or turmeric, the company says its yeast need far fewer resources to produce its pigments, making it more environmentally friendly and sustainable.
Keep reading at nocamels.com.
Phytolon is a startup developing natural food coloring products in orange, yellow, pink, purple, and red. Company Co-founders CEO Halim Jubran and CTO Tal Zeltzer are both Technion alumni.
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