Knowde Enhanced TDS
Identification & Functionality
- Ingredient Name
- Ingredient Origin
- Cosmetic Ingredients Functions
- Food Ingredients Functions
- Ingredients
- Spirulina Extract
- Food Additive Number
- E 134, INS 134
Features & Benefits
- Benefit Claims
- Benefit Claims (Health)
- Labeling Claims
- Food Ingredients Features
- Product Highlights
The deep blue-hue color of Electric Sky TM is based on both its low-level protein chromophore structure and high-level phycobilisome complex structure. Under long-term exposure of an aqueous solution to conditions of high temperature (i.e. > 47C), low pH (i.e. < 3), high UV irradiation exposure (i.e. > 4 days), high alcohol (i.e. > 15% v/v) levels, low ionic phosphate buffer strength (i.e. < 50mM), as well as trace metal ions, and oxidants like oxygen and ascorbic acid, these structures will typically degrade and transition from deep blue to benign beige.
Phycocyanin (PC) is a blue extract from spirulina that exists to aid in the algae’s photosynthetic function; one of the main differences compared to its popular cousin: Chlorella. One of the rarest natural blues in the world, this pigment protein has gained popularity for its functional and beautifying properties.
- Benefits
The main health benefit of using PC is its high antioxidant properties, which has also been found to act as an anti-inflammatory function and cellular protection. Literature
also suggests other pharmacological function such as anti-tumor, immune system enhancement and overall vitality. The benefits are so profound that large pharmaceutical companies research the potential of PC as medicine and therapy for common ailments.
Algae’s need for significantly less resources than most other ingredients means an undeniably minimal ‘food-print’ than most other foods, allowing less guilt and more enjoyment in eating your favorite foods.
Spira’s Electric Sky is 100% natural, vegan, and contains no additives, unlike some others. More vibrant than any other blue powder that you may find in the market, Electric Sky is sure to grab attention in this colorful world.
Applications & Uses
- Markets
- Applications
- Food & Nutrition Applications
- Uses
Used in smoothies, juices, confectionaries and even hard cider, this vibrant sky blue is replacing artificial Blue #1 in the industry as consumers demand for higher quality ingredients. In line with the health conscious consumer’s desire for natural ingredients.
Spira’s phycocyanin meets the three most important criteria for millennial consumers of good taste, health function, and sustainability, respectively. The taste and smell is nowhere near that of other algae products with their typical umami and pungent nature.- Usage Guideliness
How Do I Use It
- Mix into smoothies: Best Practice: For a brighter blue, use fruits that are neutrally colored.
Like bananas! - Mix into light colored beverages: Lemonade, kombucha, etc.
- Mix into beer, white wine, or liquor: Best Practice: Mix into water before adding it to the alcohol to prevent fizzing
- Mix into baked goods and confectionaries (pancakes, bread, pasta, icing, etc.): Best Practice: Add in to dry ingredient mix - Color will degrade a slightly due to the other ingredient's dilution and the heat during the cooking process - keep adding until you achieve your desired hue!
How much do I need to use?
Depends on what and how it's being used!- If mixed in a water-based beverage, use approximately 1g dissolved into water
- If mixed into a baked good, flour-based or icing product, it will take more weighed quantity and mixing to achieve the proper color
- Many shades of blue can be achieved! It is up to the creativity of the user to determine how much or little is needed for desired effects.
- Mix into smoothies: Best Practice: For a brighter blue, use fruits that are neutrally colored.
Properties
- Color
- Amino Acid Composition of c-Phycocyanin (from C. caldarium)
Amino Acid Content (% w/w) Asp 10.80+ 0.10 Thr 5.15 Ser 5.91 Glu 11.17±0.05 Pro 3.16+0.03 Gly 4.08+0.01 Ala 8.28±0.07 Cys 1.88 ±0.10 Val 6.23 ± 0.20 Met 3.36+ 0.08 Ile 5.50±0.18 Leu 9.20± 0.06 Tyr 7.14±0.04 Phe 4.53 + 0.05 Lys 4.75±0.10 His 0.87±0.03 Arg 9.53+0.22 - Specifications
The deep blue-hue color of Electric SkyTM is based on both its low-level protein-chromophore structure and high-level phycobilisome complex structure.
- The following can degrade color and transition to a lighter hue:
- Long-term exposure of an aqueous solution to conditions of high temperature (i.e. > 117 F and 47C)
- Low pH (<3)
- High UV irradiation exposure (i.e. > 4 days)
- High alcohol (i.e. > 15% v/v) levels
- Low ionic phosphate buffer strength (i.e. < 50mm)
- Exposure to trace metal ions, and oxidants, like oxygen and ascorbic acid
Regulatory & Compliance
- Certifications & Compliance
Technical Details & Test Data
- Electric Sky - Retained Percentage - Heat Exposure
- Electric Sky - pH Degradation
- Electric Sky - UV Exposure Hue Degradation
- Electric Sky - Retained Percentage - UV Exposure
- Electric Sky - Alcohol Solution Degradation
- Note
Short product shelf-life can prevent most Electric Sky™ product degradation. For instance, alcohol% is not an issue for liquor products that are are consumed immediately or have short shelf lives (< 1 month). Fortunately, degradation of Electric Sky™ can also be minimized, and product shelf-life can be extended via control of storage conditions and packaging, as well as re-formulation, cross-linking, or micro-encapsulation. For instance, the pH effect is mitigated by storing products in the cold at 4C. Furthermore, Electric Sky™ thermo-stability is enhanced by formulating it with exogenous agents, including glucose, sucrose, sorbitol, fructose, honey, benzoic acid, citric acid, sorbic acid, ascorbic acid, polyhydric alcohols, sodium chloride, sodium azide, dithiothreitol, anionic and ferulated beet pectin. In addition, Electric Sky™ UV and thermo-stability are reportedly enhanced by cross-linking it with DSP (dithiobis(succinimidyl propionate)) or formaldehyde or by incorporating it in silica beads,
polyethylene oxide nanofibers, or polysaccharide (alginate/chitosan/alginate) beads.
Storage & Handling
- Shelf Life
- In it's powder form, the shelf life is 2+ years if kept in a dry and dark place
- If mixed into water, the color will persist as long it is kept out of direct sunlight and will begin developing an ocean-y odor after two weeks
- If mixed into an acidic mixture or exposed to heat over 104 degrees F (40 C), the color will degrade at an accelerated rate