Jagua (genipin-glycine) Blue is a dark blue color which is prepared from the juice of the unripe fruit of Genipa americana by reacting the genipin in the juice with glycine using mild heat. The color contains the genipinglycine polymer as the principle coloring component and three dimers as minor coloring components, which are also blue and present at low levels.

Jagua is grown in South America, Central America and southern Mexico. When fully ripe, the fruit is edible raw or cooked, and is used locally to prepare jams, ice cream, juices and wines.

Jagua Blue is water soluble and unique in that it is not sensitive to changes in pH. It is also very heat and light stable which allows for it to provide deep blue shades for a wide range of applications. It can also be used with red shades to provide very bright and stable purple shades.

Jagua (genipin-glycine) Blue was approved and listed as an exempt from certification color in 2023. It can be safely used to color:  flavored milk; dairy drinks and substitutes; dairy and dairy alternative yogurt; ice cream, frozen dairy and dairy alternative desserts, puddings, gelatins, ices, sorbets; ready-to-eat multicolored cereals, flavored potato chips, tortilla, corn, and other chips; candy and chewing gum; non-alcoholic fruit based/ flavored drinks, nutritional beverages and smoothies; flavored cream cheese based spreads; and icings, frostings, jams, syrups, and fruit toppings and fillings, provided the amount of jagua (genipin-glycine) blue does not exceed levels consistent with GMP (21 CFR 73.225).

Applications

Dairy Drinks
Yogurt
Ice Cream
Frozen Desserts
Puddings
Gelatins
RTE Cereal
Chips
Candy
Chewing Gum
Beverages
Icings/Frostings
Jams/Syrups