Food and beverage manufacturers developing savoury products face a familiar challenge: achieving that appetising rich brown colour in gravy formulations whilst meeting growing consumer demand for clean label ingredients. The solution lies in an ingredient that delivers both visual appeal and label-friendly credentials.
Malt extract offers food manufacturers a clean label pathway to achieving deep brown hues in gravy and sauce applications. Derived from roasted barley, these speciality malt ingredients bring natural colour development through the Maillard reaction, the same browning process that occurs during cooking.
As consumers become more mindful of ingredients lists, it's increasingly important to use clean label ingredients to remain competitive in today's food and beverage market. PureMalt's roast malt extracts are the perfect ingredients for brands pursuing clean label claims. This distinction matters to procurement managers and product developers working toward reformulation goals.
Choosing the appropriate malt extract product depends on your specific colour intensity requirements and flavour profile goals. PureMalt offer several options crafted for savoury applications:
REX delivers clean label brown colour with a slight caramelised flavour. This versatile roast malt liquid works well for applications where you want both colour contribution and subtle flavour enhancement.
RL25 brings dark brown colour with low roast flavour, making it ideal for gravy formulations requiring intense colour without pronounced malt character.
RD34 is a spray dried roast malt powder that offers dark brown colour with minimal roast flavour. The powder format can be added to dry mix applications as well as any liquid sauces.
RD50 delivers intense dark brown to black colour with minimal flavour impact. This product excels when you need maximum colour depth with the least flavour contribution. The powder format can be added to dry mix applications as well as any liquid sauces.
Start with a baseline addition rate of 0.1% to 0.5% of your total gravy formulation weight. This range allows for colour adjustment whilst keeping flavour impact controlled.
For liquid malt extracts like REX or RL25, begin at the lower end of the range and increase incrementally until you reach your target colour value. Document each trial batch meticulously to establish your optimal specification.
Dried products such as RD34 and RD50 require slightly different handling. Their concentrated nature means a little goes a long way. Typical addition rates for spray dried malt powders fall between 0.05% and 0.3% depending on the colour intensity required.
Different PureMalt products offer varying flavour profiles, and understanding these characteristics helps you match the right extract to your application.
Products like RD50 and RL25 are specifically formulated to deliver colour with minimal flavour contribution. These work well in neutral gravy bases where you want the colour benefit without altering your existing flavour profile.
REX brings a slight caramelised note that can complement meaty or umami-rich gravy formulations. This subtle flavour contribution may actually enhance your final product rather than detract from it.
Conduct sensory evaluation alongside colour assessment during your development trials. Have your technical team taste samples at various addition rates to identify the optimal balance point for your specific application.
Our flavour profiles can be used to support identification of key flavour characteristics.
PureMalt products offer manufacturers a straightforward route to clean label. When using malt extract in your gravy formulation, the ingredient can appear on your product label as "malt extract" or "barley malt extract."
This clean label status meets the expectations of retailers and consumers who are increasingly scrutinising ingredient lists. A recent industry analysis indicates that products with recognisable, natural ingredients consistently outperform those with unrecognisable ingredients or extensive ingredients lists in consumer preference studies.
Even with careful formulation, you may encounter colour-related issues during production. Here are solutions to the most frequent challenges:
Colour appears too light: Increase your malt extract addition rate incrementally.
Flavour impact is too strong: Switch to a product with lower flavour contribution, such as RD50.
PureMalt delivers exceptional quality ingredients to food manufacturers in over 70 countries across 6 continents. Our team works with product developers and procurement specialists to identify the optimal malt extract solution for specific applications.
Whether you are reformulating an existing gravy product for clean label compliance or developing a new savoury line, our technical specialists can guide your ingredient selection and application support.
Contact our team to request product samples and specifications. We champion big ideas and new approaches to help you achieve your product development goals.
Malt extract is a natural ingredient derived from roasted barley that achieves colour through the Maillard reaction. It can be labelled as malt extract, making it a clean label alternative for manufacturers reformulating products to meet consumer demands for recognisable ingredients.
Typical addition rates range from 0.1% to 0.5% for liquid malt extracts and 0.05% to 0.3% for spray dried powders. Start at the lower end and increase incrementally whilst conducting colour evaluation until you reach your target specification.
Products like PureMalt RD50 and RL25 are specifically formulated for minimal flavour impact, delivering colour whilst preserving your base flavour profile. Other options like REX contribute a slight caramelised note that can complement savoury applications.
For gluten-free applications contact us to discuss your options.