Israeli ingredient manufacturer Frutarom Natural Solutions is to collaborate with a local agriculture partner to encourage local women farmers and growers in Latin America to grow annatto in their fields.

Frutarom and its partner FoodTank will support the local farmers from plantation to education and training, including technical support on how to grow and harvest high-quality annatto.

Frutarom stated that it will buy all the fresh annatto harvested at a fair price.

The collaboration aims to provide a stable income to the growers and work directly with local farmers.

In countries such as Peru, Brazil and Guatemala, women are the primary keepers of the household but they struggle with basic subsistence.

FoodTank president Danielle Nierenberg said: “Women are playing a big role in changing the food system to create a well-nourished world. They are taking on larger and more defined roles in food and agriculture, globally.”

On average, women represent 43% of the world’s agricultural labour force, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Bank.

Annatto is an oily seed from the Achiote tree (Bixa orellana). The natural pigments present in the seeds are the carotenoids bixin and norbixin. It has a wide colour range of yellow to orange tones with mid to high-stability against light, heat and oxidation.

Frutarom natural solutions president Yoni Glickman said: “Frutarom’s advanced extraction of the seeds also enables recovery of high-antioxidant vitamin E while significantly minimising fruit waste.

“Suppliers of natural colours are in a race to provide sufficient supplies of natural annatto coloring.”

From its production sites in Lima, Peru, and Murcia, Spain, Frutarom intends to enable a smooth supply chain in fulfilling global demand and ensuring a constant supply of annatto colour.

Glickman added: “This ‘win-win’ situation for Frutarom and the farmers fills the gap in supply to meet the growing demand for natural annatto colouring and allows transparency with our customers worldwide.

“We ensure safe, high-quality, all-natural colour supply while supporting local communities in developing countries.”