Butterfly pea flower extract is a natural blue colorant obtained from the petals of Clitoria ternatea through water extraction and membrane separation processes. The coloring compounds are predominantly anthocyanins rich in ternatins.
The extraction process employs mild physical methods: dried petals are steeped in softened water, followed by microfiltration/ultrafiltration to remove macromolecular impurities, and then nanofiltration concentration and sterilization to obtain a blue extract liquid primarily composed of anthocyanins. This colorant exhibits excellent thermal stability and water solubility. It presents a bright blue color at pH > 3.8 and shifts to deep purple under low pH conditions. This pH-responsive property offers a natural color variation dimension for applications.
In practical applications, the usage of butterfly pea extract varies by product format:
Beverages: Can be directly added as liquid extract, leveraging pH-sensitive color change to create layered effects.
Frozen desserts: Added to the base, maintains stable blue color at pH > 3.8.
Confectionery: Suitable for coloring soft candies and hard candies, serving as an alternative to synthetic blue colorants.
Bakery products: Attention required for anthocyanin stability under high temperatures; post-addition or pH adjustment is recommended to maintain blue hue.
Current industry trends indicate that with FDA approval and the launch of commercial products, the natural blue colorant market is evolving from single-source spirulina to diversified plant-based sources.
As your global botanical extract partner, we source from premium butterfly pea flowers and ensure the stability of every batch of natural blue colorant through sustainable practices, providing traceable assurance for your finished product color innovation.