LycoRed has received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the use of Tomat-O-Red natural tomato lycopene as a food colouring. 

Go deeper with GlobalData

Premium Insights

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more


Lycopene can be used as a colorant for both foods and beverages, in various shades of red. It is highly stable under a wide range of temperatures and the colour does not shift with changes in pH. 


Tomat-O-Red is available as a liquid dispersion or a cold-water dispersible powder.  It can colour a variety of food and beverage products, including dairy and confectionery products, as well as baked goods.


LycoRed CEO Morris Zelkha said: “This FDA approval is important for us since it opens an additional marketing channel in the US and creates new business opportunities. Thanks to its beneficial attributes, Tomat-O-Red has great potential and we anticipate significant share in the red food colorant market.”


The market for natural and synthetic food colourings is together estimated at US$1bn and, as a trend, the use of synthetic colorants appears to be declining in favour of natural colorants, according to LycoRed.  The natural food colorant market is estimated at US$250m, with red accounting for US$30–US$40m.

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

Tomat-O-Red, derived from tomato lycopene, is also a powerful antioxidant with benefits to prostate and cardiovascular health.  LycoRed said that clinical studies show that tomato lycopene helps prevent DNA and cellular damage – factors in many degenerative diseases.


LycoRed specialises in natural carotenoids for food fortification and dietary supplements, microencapsulation and blending.