Looking for any alternative white colorants for gummies. We’ve stopped using Titanium Dioxide because of some lawsuits involving major candy brands. I’ve learned that Calcium Carbonate is a good alternative, but having trouble sourcing it (and also heard that it sucks when it comes to taste and texture). What else are yall using for white colorant in gummies and candies?
Thanks in advance
I have never used this product but if you do a quick google search it looks like this company is trying to find better alternatives:
You can also try some starch products like rice starch, but there are other formulation issues that might come with that such as moisture retention or texture influences.
It looks like you can request samples for that Avalanche product, so at the very least it looks like you have an avenue to get your hands on the product to give it a try.
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ahhhh lol. this company allegedly doesnt like to work with cannabis companies. at least thats what a rep has told us. debating on making a shell corporation so i can order some shit lmfao. thanks for the reply tho
Just say you do chemical processing, food manufacturing or agricultural processing, at least to get samples. If samples look good then you can figure out what you want to do. Unfortunately there are still some companies out there that don’t want our money.
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From what I understand (I wasnt the one in contact with their rep) when they found out our company’s name, they basically refused to work together any further. The rep said he could place the order, but knew it would get flagged and they wouldn’t send it out.
He also may have mentioned that he doesn’t even think their calcium carbonate product would work for what we are wanting, so I’m not too encouraged to chase that lead much further. Though, it would have been nice to come to that conclusion myself just so I know.
What color white are you trying for here? I’ve had solid success with just using ingredients that are white/clear to begin with. Although I’m not trying to get like a white butter frosting white… more just a slightly off-white but still clear gummy.
Also I don’t know what specifically people are suing people over for using titanium dioxide as a colorant. Its approved GRAS by the FDA for us in food for coloring up to 1% of the formulation. Perhaps people are not being true in their labeling or something?
I wouldn’t stop using an approved additive because someone somewhere is being sued. I’d evaluate why a bit more. People get sued all the time for totally normal things. The FDA already reaffirmed that Titanium Dioxide 1% is safe for us, even after the whole EU decided to ban its usage in foods because of potential gaps in knowledge related to potential longterm harms. The EU still hasn’t developed an AID - but the FDA stands behind its AID.
Perhaps you are working outside of the US? If in EU or any of its sister countries, you can’t use this anyway. In the US - you can, and while there is one person suing a company about it, its kind of normal for people to bring up this kind of stuff. What does the law say? It says that you have to follow the FD&C Act and therefore the regulations on food in the CFR.
I imagine if you are using cannabis derivatives in your product, you’re already aware that that is illegal under the FD&C Act as clearly outlined by the FDA. So I might consider that the risk of using an approved additive, verses the risk of using a substance that is illegal might be a little bit less. 
Just maybe. <3
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You’ve raised some great points here.
first to answer your questions: We’re in the US, looking for a white colorant for a gummy, this gummy is part of a “Liberty” themed (
) product, where there is red, white, and blue gummies. I have recently taken over as Kitchen Manager, and admittedly I am a bit out of the loop in some regards. I wish I could have seen the previous “Liberty” gummies to see exactly how white they are trying to take it. I assume pretty white though, like buttercream- white as you mentioned. I work for a rather large company, and it seems they are dead set on not using the titanium dioxide. Although, you’ve made some great points in regards to legality, FDA acceptance, and even the use of federally illegal substances etc. Perhaps I can make an argument to them as to why we should continue to use it. But as most of us are aware, sometimes it’s hard/impossible to change upper management’s mind, and eventually it’s easier to just go ahead with what they are wanting.
I’m curious (or just desperate lol) to know what you’ve used for coloring for the white/clear look. Or, do you just mean you dont add any coloring and use the clear/off white color the gummies would normally have with no color added?
Great reply, and you’ve really got me thinking more outside the box. Appreciate it!
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What about a dash of corn starch?
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yeah i’ve heard of people making a corn starch slurry and adding it in towards the end of the gum gum manufacturing
It’s also very realistic that there is in fact no direct substitute that would achieve an identical result to titanium dioxide or if there is a potential option out there, now you’re talking about spending extra in R&D and making sure the substitute doesn’t impact taste, texture or any other undesirable effects in the product.
If there are no realistic options that can just be swapped one for one, it might not be a bad idea to write a somewhat formalized proposal (or argument in your words )to upper management outlining the costs and delays associated with replacing titanium dioxide and at minimum, allow the continued use of it while concomitantly doing the due diligence on potential substitutes.
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