Debut and Oterra partner to develop alternative to Red 40

Debut Biotechnology and Oterra have announced a collaboration to develop and scale a natural alternative to artificial red colours for food and beverage applications — scaling Debut’s precision fermentation process to create a natural alternative to Red 40, which is being phased out in the US.

Combining Debut’s technology with Oterra’s formulation expertise will allow the partnership to produce natural colour solutions spanning orange, red and violet, offering a full range of stable shades to food and beverage manufacturers.

Debut and Oterra will collaborate with food and beverage companies ahead of commercialisation while working toward an FDA approval filing, with the goal of bringing a commercially scaled product to market in approximately three years.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have encouraged food manufacturers to phase out certain FD&C certified food colourings by the end of 2026, accelerating demand for high-performing natural alternatives.

“Our collaboration with Debut brings exciting new technology options to significantly strengthen our natural portfolio with optimised technical performance. It also offers secure supply, independent of weather and harvest without compromising on natural credentials,” said Luc Ganivet, Head of Innovation for Oterra.

The advanced precision fermentation techniques will also contribute to reduced land and water use, compared with traditionally cultivated sources for red alternatives.

The Red 40 alternative will be designed to work in a broad range of applications and will also be compatible with vegan, kosher and halal certifications for food and beverage companies.

Image credit: iStock.com/nata_vkusidey