Sensient Technologies acquires Mazza Innovation addressing growing demand for clean-label ingredients

Sensient Technologies has acquired Mazza Innovation Limited, a botanical extraction technology firm based in Vancouver, Canada, strengthening its “seed to shelf” business strategy to innovate across the value chain for natural and organic ingredients.

According to Sensient, the acquisition will help leverage its agronomy and sustainable sourcing programs for plant materials as well as the company’s strong extract refinement and applications expertise.

Mazza’s patented solvent-free clean extraction technology expands current extraction capabilities to deliver “pure and clean” color, flavor, functional nutraceutical, and other ingredients.                

Originally developed by Dr. Giuseppe (Joe) Mazza, a researcher with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Mazza recognized that the unique extraction technology would address the growing demand for 'clean and pure' ingredients.

“Many of the botanical color sources used today require chemical solvents or high temperatures to be effective,” Mike Geraghty, president of Sensient Colors, said.  

“This patented extraction technology represents a major step change. It is cleaner, more efficient, and delivers on the need for clean-label flavor extracts, natural colors, coloring foods, functional extracts, and skin-care ingredients.”   

“The future is bright for simple, close-to-nature ingredients, with natural botanical extracts chief among them,” added Jeremy Thompson, global head of strategy & innovation, for Sensient Flavors & Fragrances.

“Mazza’s novel technology enables valuable components of plant materials to be targeted and gently removed simply using water. It complements well Sensient’s already extensive capability in solvent free extraction and adds to our broad range of botanical flavor extracts under the Sensient Natural Origins brand.”