Marigold (Tagetes Erecta) is a genus in the sunflower family. Its petals are rich in Lutein (yellow) and Zeaxanthin (orange) which are widely used in the feed industry as natural pigments. The flowers are dried industrially and its oil is solvent extracted to become a raw material called oleoresin.
Paprika (Capsicum annuum) is a fruit of the Chili Pepper family. Once dried (usually done in the open air) the oil obtained by solvent extraction has a high content of Capsanthin (red), Lutein (yellow) and Zeaxanthin (orange).
The oleoresins, either Marigold or Paprika, are saponified, and stabilized in our factories, further on they are either absorbed in Silica or diluted in water to become final products.
Our labs are equipped with the latest technology to guarantee the quality of the raw materials and of our final products.
Our Red Pigment is made with Paprika oleoresin which contains Capsanthin (Red Xantophyll) and Lutein (Yellow Xanthophyll). It can be liquid or powder and it comes in different concentrations.
Our Yellow Pigment is made with Marigold Oleoresin, a flower grown mainly in China and India with a high content of Lutein (Yellow Xantophyll). It can be liquid or powder and it comes in different concentrations.
The main usages of our pigments are to color the egg yolk and the broiler skin. The different diet during the year due to the price fluctuation of the cereals would mean color variation in this product. To avoid this, and to achieve a constant and attractive color of both yolk and chicken the use of added pigments is recommended.
The desired color depends on the tradition of each market for instance, egg yolk is almost red in Japan and nearly white in Denmark. Also many countries prefer white chicken while others, like Mexico or Spain, prefer a golden tone.
Color fans or optical recognition machines are used to test yolks and skin and verify the final color is in the desired range.
To order the colorimeters, fill in your email below and we will contact you.