Debut and Oterra have announced a multi-million-dollar collaboration to develop and scale a natural alternative to artificial red colours for food and beverage applications.
The partnership will scale Debut’s precision fermentation process to create a natural alternative to Red 40, one of the most widely used red colour additives in US food and beverage products.
The goal is to make it possible 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 leading 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) has encouraged food manufacturers to phase out certain 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 optimized 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.
“We’re excited to fast-track the commercialization of natural red alternatives from precision fermentation with Oterra,” said Joshua Britton, founder and CEO of Debut.
“Biotech offers clear advantages that align with evolving market demand. Its adoption in the food and beverage industry is particularly compelling, providing a high-performance alternative to FD&C colours and Red 40, which faces increased regulatory scrutiny.”
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 work in a broad range of applications and will also be compatible with vegan, kosher, and halal certifications for food and beverage companies.