Current health trends are seeing ingredients supplier LycoRed's tomato-based natural colourings grow in popularity.

The latest evidence, based on a German study published in the Journal of Nutrition, has suggested men eating four to five tomato-based dishes per week were 25% less likely to develop prostate cancer than those eating tomatoes only rarely. Such research is driving up sales of lycopene, which are forecast by market analyst Frost and Sullivan to double 2003 figures of euro 27M this year.

LycoRed is taking hold of the opportunity to promote products such as its Tomat-O-Red tomato lycopene colour. Udi Alroy, vice president, global marketing and sales for LycoRed, says: "Natural lycopene has the benefits of five tomatoes in one dosage."

LycoRed is also seeing strong growth in its recently launched Summer Delight and Tomato on the Go beverages, driven by healthy eating trends.

Summer Delight is a fruit juice and Tomato on the Go is a savoury beverage similar to a bloody Mary cocktail. Both contain a combination of natural beta-carotene from the firm's Lyc-O-Beta colourant, lutein from its Lyc-O-Lutein and tomato lycopene from its Lyc-O-Mato Red.

All pigments are "powerful antioxidants" conveying a range of health benefits, says Alroy. LycoRed is also looking into using the same application process used to create these products to incorporate its natural colours into a range of smoothies.

Contact: LycoRed; Tel: 00972 523 959 622