CAPOL develops natural whitening agent for the hard-sugar panning process

Elmshorn, September 13, 2022 – The world of confectionery is known for its bright colors. For their full radiance to enfold, however, these colors frequently require the participation of a somewhat inconspicuous color: white. Especially when it comes to sugar-panned confectionery, a whitening agent is typically needed as a covering layer between the darker core and the colored coating.

With VIVAPIGMENTS^® White, CAPOL is launching a natural whitening agent that meets the special requirements of confectionery manufacturers when it comes to the hard-sugar panning process. These naturally based white pigments can be used as an alternative to the commonly used titanium dioxide (TiO₂), which has come under increasing debate as a food additive. VIVAPIGMENTS^® White is characterized by its ability to achieve a high level of opacity thanks to a special color technology, as well as its ease of product application.

As an alternative to titanium dioxide, VIVAPIGMENTS^® White does more than simply make the application convenient since it can easily be stirred into the sugar solution. Thanks to special rice protein encapsulation technology, the calcium carbonate-based product also provides excellent opacity. This is particularly important for efficient whitening. Depending on the specific application, a dosage of 0.3% to 1.0% can typically be used. “Initial feedback confirms that customers were able to achieve good results in production-scale trials even at a dosage considered low for an alternative whitening agent,” explains Dr. Valeria Reim, CAPOL product manager.

In the European Union, a ban on titanium dioxide as a food additive came into force on August 7, 2022. This new constraint has pushed confectionery manufacturers to change their product formulations. In other world regions, the former number-one whitening agent is now also under debate among manufacturers and consumers alike. “We know from our confectionery customers that natural whitening agents that achieve an excellent whitening effect at an appropriate dosage continue to be in high demand,” adds Dr. Reim.

CAPOL has brought many years of know-how from the confectionery industry to the development and application of VIVAPIGMENTS^® White and combined this with its knowledge gained from the unique VIVAPIGMENTS^® technology for natural color pigments. The encapsulation of natural colorants in a rice protein matrix is what makes it possible to create natural pigments with exceptional stability as well as color opacity. And thanks to its greater naturalness, it also offers manufacturers an opportunity to follow the clean label trend. “For a consistently natural result in the sugar panning process, we recommend combining VIVAPIGMENTS^® White with VIVAPIGMENTS^® natural colors, as it opens up a wide range of possibilities for efficient panning with bright color results,” says Dr. Reim.

About Capol

Capol GmbH was founded in 1975 and is now a global expert in special applications based on natural ingredients in the food industry.

With over 250 innovative glazing, anti-sticking and sealing agents, the company is one of the world’s leading suppliers of surface finishing in the confectionery industry. The products are known under the brands CAPOL^®, CAPOLAN^®, CAPOLEX^® and FIX GUM^®.

With comprehensive application expertise in surface treatment, CAPOL also provides ready-to-use product solutions, such as edible coatings and release agents, for a wide range of applications in the food industry. Under the brand name VIVAPIGMENTS^®, CAPOL offers natural color pigments that are produced in a patented manufacturing process. Customized natural flavor compositions round off the portfolio.

Manufacturing takes place at the company’s own plants in Europe and North America in compliance with stringent quality and food safety standards, which are regularly confirmed through external certification processes. With a network of its own subsidiaries as well as agents and distribution partners, the company is active all over the world and employs a workforce of around 100 people.

Since 2013, the CAPOL Group has been part of Freudenberg Chemical Specialities, a business group of Freudenberg SE Weinheim, Germany.