Matching colors and maintaining color consistency in the food industry are critical for ensuring consumer health and safety. Color can often communicate a product issue caused by faulty processing or defective ingredients. Some examples of these deviations include improper cooking temperatures, inadequate refrigeration levels or incorrect dyes.
Different foods use various color matching standards as primary quality control methods.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has specific standards for measuring color in food products like tomatoes, olives and some frozen foods. Besides classifying products according to grade, these standards help agriculture professionals determine optimal picking and harvesting times. Food processing plants also use USDA standards to ensure foods meet the necessary specifications throughout each manufacturing stage.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has a set of standards to help companies eliminate the dangers of food coloring, specifically when done artificially. Accurate coloring is critical for branding and identifying many types of foods because it often influence's a customer's likelihood of purchasing a particular product. Some common foods with artificial dyes include ice cream, yogurt, candy, salad dressing and cooking oil.
When adding artificial food coloring, maintaining FDA compliance is crucial. The FDA must approve any synthetic food coloring a processing company uses, while some dyes may be subject to an entirely separate certification process. With fresh produce, grocery stores use USDA color charts as their primary tools when determining acceptability.
Spectrophotometry is one of the most accurate and reliable methods of measuring food color to comply with FDA and USDA regulations. Rather than depending on human vision to compare a sample against an existing standard, spectrophotometers calculate the ratio of reflected light between the two colors, allowing production facilities to make more precise comparisons.
At HunterLab, we offer a comprehensive selection of spectrophotometers for the food industry to accurately and reliably measure color for an extensive range of products, ensuring your operation meets all the necessary regulations and standards. Many of these devices offer easy-to-use controls and convenient portability, allowing you to make quick color comparisons while on the production floor.
At HunterLab, we strive to make your job easier by helping you select and implement the optimal color measuring solutions for your specific application. Connect with our team today to request pricing or obtain additional product information. You can also explore our blog for more insightful posts about measuring color with spectrophotometry.
HunterLab goes beyond color, delivering precise, science-backed solutions that help industries achieve superior quality and appearance control. As a global leader in spectrophotometry, we empower businesses to reduce waste, improve efficiency, and enhance product consistency—directly impacting the bottom line. By combining innovation, real-world expertise, and sustainable measurement solutions, we help manufacturers optimize production, minimize material loss, and meet the highest industry standards. Follow us on LinkedIn