Butterfly pea flower extract
Butterfly pea flower extract is a blue color made from the dried flowers of Clitoria ternatea. Under the US color additive listing it is made by water extraction, ultrafiltration, concentration and pasteurization, and its color comes from anthocyanins. The color shifts with pH, from blue near neutral to purple and pink in acidic products. Suppliers sell liquid concentrates and powders for beverages, teas, confectionery and snacks.
Suppliers sell different products under the same name. Specify the one you need.
Dark blue aqueous extract at a stated color value, pH-adjusted with citric acid.
Spray-dried extract, sometimes on a carrier, for dry beverage mixes and coatings.
Whole or milled flowers sold for teas; a botanical, not the listed color additive extract.
Extract or flowers from organic cultivation, offered by some suppliers.
Compare each result with your own specification when the lot arrives.
Store sealed, cool and away from light; anthocyanin color fades with heat and light. Liquid concentrates are usually kept refrigerated once opened, and powders should be kept dry. Shelf life is set by the supplier specification, with color value retested on aged stock.
Color value and hue vary with flower crop and processing, so record color value and pH for each lot and check shade at the pH of the finished product. Rotate stock first-expired, first-out.
Facts from regulators and standards bodies, each linked to its source.
21 CFR 73.69 lists butterfly pea flower extract, made by aqueous extraction of dried Clitoria ternatea flowers, as a color additive exempt from certification.
Source: ecfr.gov (opens in a new tab)21 CFR 73.69 permits it only in listed foods, among them alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, teas, hard and soft candy, ice cream, ready-to-eat cereals and snack chips.
Source: ecfr.gov (opens in a new tab)21 CFR 73.69 requires a pH of 3.0 to 4.5 and caps lead, arsenic, mercury and cadmium at 1 mg/kg each.
Source: ecfr.gov (opens in a new tab)This is general information, not regulatory advice. Status differs by country and by how the ingredient is used, so check the rules for your product and market.
Manufacturers and distributors whose own websites say they sell it.
Manufacturer · St. Louis, MO
Sells it as Astral Purple
North American food color business of Sensient Technologies, making certified FD&C dyes and lakes alongside natural colors from sources such as beet juice, carmine, annatto, spirulina and butterfly pea flower.
Suppliers are in alphabetical order and none pays to appear. Each claim is checked against the supplier’s own website on the date shown. Ask for the specification sheet and a recent COA before you order, and confirm details with the supplier.
Common forms include liquid concentrate, powder, dried flower and flower powder and organic. Ask each supplier for the specification sheet of the exact grade they quote.
Expect color value, pH, heavy metals, pesticide residues and microbiology, each with its method, specification and result for that lot.
Store sealed, cool and away from light; anthocyanin color fades with heat and light. Liquid concentrates are usually kept refrigerated once opened, and powders should be kept dry. Shelf life is set by the supplier specification, with color value retested on aged stock.
21 CFR 73.69 lists butterfly pea flower extract, made by aqueous extraction of dried Clitoria ternatea flowers, as a color additive exempt from certification. 21 CFR 73.69 permits it only in listed foods, among them alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, teas, hard and soft candy, ice cream, ready-to-eat cereals and snack chips. 21 CFR 73.69 requires a pH of 3.0 to 4.5 and caps lead, arsenic, mercury and cadmium at 1 mg/kg each.
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