Functional beverages encompass any drink designed to do more than hydrate you — for example, nutraceutical and energy drinks. And like all drinks, these beverages have certain desired colors based on brand, flavor, and purpose.
Regardless of the type of functional drinks you produce, their coloration should be consistent and regulated. Here are the top five things you need to know about regulating the color of your beverages and ensuring they are appealing.
Every country has a number of regulations based on colorant use in beverages. Along with varying by country, these regulations also depend on the type of drink you're making and whether it's part of a dry mix formula or ready to drink from the shelves. Before you start adding colors to your drinks or changing their formulas, explore your coloration options carefully to choose ingredients that fit your sales area's regulations and make your drinks the color you've intended.
Even drinks that appear transparent can have a base color, and this base color often affects the way your drink appears. Anticipate these color reactions in your sampling and be prepared to try a range of colorants to find the ones that achieve your desired color.
Many energy drinks and nutritional beverages are shelf-stable, meaning they may sit on a shelf or in a cabinet for some time before consumption. Where possible, try to test and anticipate how your product may degrade or evolve over time, and how that may affect the color of the drink. If the color changes too much, people may not want to drink it or buy it again, even if the product is still perfectly fine to drink. As a result, try to work with ingredients that are shelf-stable and not likely to change.
Functional beverages like sports drinks are well-known for their bright, vibrant colors. But which colors appeal to your customers? Consider these color differences:
Whatever colors you choose, color measurement is a crucial aspect of regulating your product and ensuring it looks the same every time someone buys it. Our spectrophotometers for measuring the color of a beverage include ColorFlex and Vista, which are carefully calibrated to meet the specific needs of functional beverage analysis. Request a quote today and see how HunterLab can optimize your production.
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