Milk †How Long is the Shelf Life

Milk – How Long is the Shelf Life Free Online Research Papers THE SHELF LIFE OF MILK Introduction While there is little controversy over many aspects of product development, food quality issues and safety processes must be taken into consideration. Critical discussion of biotechnology and its application in the food marketplace has resulted in a firestorm of public debate, scientific discussion, and media coverage. The countries most affected by this debate are Middle Eastern and third world countries, who stand to reap the benefits of solving widespread starvation, and countries such as the United States. The world’s population is predicted to double in the next 50 years and ensuring an adequate food supply for this booming population is already a challenge. Scientists must meet the challenge through the production of food products that meet the highest quality issues and follow intense safety processes. Milk is an important food product that is an essential part of a healthy diet, although this product appears to have a relatively short shelf life once the container is opened. This paper will analyze the shelf-life of milk, taking onto consideration the quality issues surrounding safety in the milk-manufacturing process. Benefits of Milk Milk, a natural liquid food, is one of the most nutritionally complete foods, adding high-quality protein, fat, milk, sugar, essential vitamins and minerals to one’s diet. Milk contains bacteria that, when improperly handled, may create conditions where the bacteria can multiply. The microorganisms that constitute bacteria can find their way to the hair, udder, and teats of dairy cows and can move up the teat canal. Some of these germs cause an inflammatory disease of the udder called mastitis while others enter the milk without causing any harm to the animal. In addition, organisms can enter the milk supply during the milking process when equipment is used in milking, transporting, and storing the milk is not properly cleaned and sanitized. All milk products have the potential to transmit disease causing organisms to humans. Ironically, the nutritional components that make milk and milk products an important part of the diet also support the growth of organisms. In add ition, milk is only good for a certain period of time; after this time frame, it becomes spoiled and potentially dangerous. Milk Shelf-Life The â€Å"shelf-life† of a product is defined as the length of time that a food can be held under recommended or practical storage conditions and still maintain its freshness or acceptable quality (Cornell University, 2000). The shelf-life of milk is reflected in the â€Å"sell by† date, while many products stay fresh for a short period of time, consisting of days, after this date. Milk is commonly referred to in two different ways; pasteurized and ultra-pasteurized. Both pasteurization and ultra-pasteurization refer to the heat processes that are designed to kill bacteria, or germs, in milk that may be harmful or may cause spoilage of milk products. These kinds of bacteria can be found in raw milk directly from the farm; as a result milk from farms is transported to dairy processing plants and is heat processed within a few days after milking to prolong its shelf-life. Drinking raw milk causes foodborne illnesses, which have occurred worldwide since cows have been milked. Historically, cows have been milked in farms as far back as 9000 B.C., however, it was not until colonial times in 1611 that dairy cows were raised (Shearer, et.al., 1992). During this period, the majority of cows were used for dairy and beef purposes, and milk and dairy products were unavailable for those not living on or near the farm. Milk production was seasonal, and the stabilization of this production was precluded as a result of the lack of refrigeration History of Milk Processing Over the years, the modern technology involved in milk processing have rectified these problems and in the present-day a wide array of safe, wholesome dairy products are available to people throughout the developed world (Shearer et.al., 1992). The production of quality milk affects consumers, retail distributors of milk, milk product processors, and state regulatory departments. In the 1900’s it was discovered that milk can transmit tuberculosis, scarlet fever and diphtheria to humans; the threat of these diseases and the incidence of outbreaks involving milk have been drastically reduced over the decades of the past as a result of improved sanitary milk production practices and pasteurization. Pasteurized milk is milk that has been heated to a minimum of o161 degrees Fahrenheit for a minimum of 15 seconds, and packaged under clean and sanitized conditions. Some bacteria will survive under pasteurization in very low numbers, though they are not considered harmful and will not spoil milk under normal refrigerated conditions (Cornell University, 2000). Pasteurized milk that spoils quickly is most often the result of contamination after the pasteurization process. The average shelf-life of pasteurized milk held under proper refrigeration is 12 to 16 days (Cornell University, 2000). Under ideal refrigeration, most pasteurized milk will remain fresh for 2 to 5 days after its sell by date (Cornell University, 2000). Ultra-pasteurized Milk Ultra-pasteurized milk is milk that has been heated to a minimum of 280 degrees Fahrenheit for a minimum of 2 seconds. This temperature and time kills virtually all spoilage bacteria in milk. Ultra-pasteurized milk is packaged under near sterile conditions, which makes contamination with spoilage bacteria unlikely and rare (Cornell University, 2000). Ultra-pasteurization is most often used for specialty diary products and has an average shelf-life of 30 to 90 days when held under refrigeration, but only until the product is opened. Once an ultra-pasteurized product is opened, it may become contaminated with spoilage bacteria, so after opening, it ultra-pasteurized milk should be kept well refrigerated and used within 7 to 10 days for best quality. Milk Safe Handling There are three main requirements for the safe handling of milk: 1) a potable water supply and proper dispensing system must be available to avoid contamination, 2) clean and healthy animals, clean hands, and clean utensils, and 3) rapid cooling, cold storage, proper pasteurization, and clean storage of pasteurized milk. The first requirement consists of a pure hot and cold water supply for the animals’ health, and for proper cleaning of the animals, milk handles and utensils, along with regular maintenance of the system. Additionally, the animal’s hair should be clipped regularly around the flanks and udder to prevent it from collecting dirt. For the second requirement, milkers should wash their hands and the udder with clean water or use an approved germicidal solution before milking. Most importantly, milk from diseased animals or those under antibiotic treatment may not be used. All equipment and utensils should be cleaned immediately after use. Finally, milk must be promptly cooled to 40 degrees Fahrenheit or less and stored in a closed container before and after pasteurization to maintain the quality and flavor of the milk. After the milk is taken from the cow, it continues through further handling and processing. Milk processing has three main objectives: 1) the destruction of human pathogens through pasteurization, 2) keeping the quality of the product without significant loss of flavor, appearance, physical and nutritive properties, and 3) the selective control of organisms which may produce unsatisfactory products (Shearer et.al., 1992). The procedures at milk processing plants prevent further bacterial contamination of raw materials, reduce bacterial numbers in milk, and protect the finished product from recontamination through careful handling, proper packaging and storage. Certain organisms are capable of surviving pasteurization and refrigeration processes, which an important concern because they reduce the product’s shelf-life. The bacteria of most concern are psychrotropic bacteria, which can grow at refrigeration temperatures and can produce off-flavors. The primary source of thes e bacteria is in the environment, such as air, dust and dirty equipment, so the proper cleaning and sanitizing procedures are necessary for quality control. Grade A milk quality standards allow a maximum of 100,000 bacteria per milliliters of raw milk (Shearer at.al., 1992). Chronic offenders of this standard risk losing their license to sell milk to the Grade A market, and the majority of dairies are able to maintain bacteria counts between 5 to 10,000 per milliliter. Dairy cooperatives are organized by dairymen for the purpose of marketing milk, and instead of buying milk directly from the farms, milk processors buy their milk directly from the dairy cooperative. Cooperatives serve the dairymen by promoting dairy products, providing an effective lobby for political concerns, and informing members on issues such as water quality, waste management, and milk pricing. Other state departments are responsible for the safe production of milk as well. The United States Public Health Service promotes the consumption of milk for good nutrition, recognizes that the potential for milkborne illnesses is a significant public health threat, and has agreements for reciprocal acceptance of milk and milk products between political jurisdictions. The milk sanitation program of the United States Public Health Service has been very successful; in 1938, milkborne disease outbreaks constituted 25% of all disease outbreaks resulting from infected foods and contaminated water supplies. Today, less than 1% of such disease outbreaks can be linked to the consumption of milk and milk products (Shearer et.al., 1992). Milk-borne Diseases However, although fewer cases of milkborne ailments exist today, the possibility is still realistic. For example, more than 300 people in the United States got sick from drinking raw milk or eating cheese made from raw milk in 2001, and nearly 200 became ill from these products in 2002 (Bren, 2004). Most health people recover from foodborne illnesses within a short period of time, but others may have symptoms that are chronic, severe, or life-threatening. Individuals with weakened immune systems, such as the elderly, children and those with certain diseases or conditions, are most at risk for severe infections from pathogens that may be present in raw milk. In pregnant women, listeria monocytogenes caused illnesses that resulted in miscarriage, fetal death, or the illness or death of a newborn infant (Bern, 1994). Furthermore, escherichia coli infection has been linked to hemolytic uremic syndrome, a condition that can cause kidney failure and death (Bern, 1994). As a result of such potential infections, the United States Public Health Service/Food and Drug Administration, divisions of the Department of Health and Human Services, have developed a policy or regulations with regard to milk quality. This model is known as the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance of 1978 (PMO), and contains the milk quality standards recommended to states, counties and municipalities. The following adoptions of these procedures by state legislatures, policy and standards by the individual states must be equal to be not lessor than those standards outlined in the PMO. States such as Florida and Illinois have their own divisions vested with the responsibility of policy making, licensing and inspecting of dairy farms and processing plants, and enforcement’s of individual Grade A milk programs. Federal Agencies Milk The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) provides oversight for the processing of raw milk into pasteurized milk, cottage cheese, yogurt and sour cream under the National Conference on Intestate Milk Shipments â€Å"Grade A† milk program. This cooperative between the FDA and the 50 states including Puerto Rico helps to ensure the uniformity of milk regulations and the safety of milk and milk products (Bern, 1994). This program is also based on the PMO, and under the Grade A program, state personnel conduct inspections and assign ratings that are audited by FDA regional milk specialists. The FDA Grade A milk program includes pasteurized milk from cows, sheep, goats, and horses. Raw milk and raw milk cheeses cannot be labeled Grade A, since they are not pasteurized and not covered under the program (Berns, 1994). Finally, the quality and safety processes for milk remains a concern for consumers, dairy farmers, and the government agencies that regulate milk and milk products. The world continues to grow, and the production of milk must continue to meet up to standards. According to the United Nations Population Division Report, the world population reached 6.1 billion in mid-2000 and is currently growing at an annual rate of 1.2%. Six of the poorest countries such as India, China, Pakistan, Nigeria, Bangladesh, and Indonesia, are responsible for half the observed growth. In 2050 the total world population is expected to be around 13 billion people, of which 11 billion will be in underdeveloped regions. The United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization estimates that world agricultural exports increased at an average annual rate of 3.2% in value terms from 1990 to 1999, with food exports growing at a rate of 3.7%. However, the agricultural trade of developing countries during this per iod represents only 50% of total world exports and it is concentrated in a minority of developing countries, a situation that creates an uneven trade balance in food from developed to developing countries. Conclusion The world’s milk production depends on agencies such as the FDA and national cooperation between dairy farms. Other suggestions for a comprehensive milk quality improvement system include the investigation of health status of raw milk, and the clear delineation of responsibilities for quality investigation, for activities and processes to improve milk quality. Processes such as pasteurization have created an extended shelf-life for milk and milk products. The government could also implement an extension service for milk producers, which would secure the necessary problem areas and would be aimed at obtaining the highest degree of efficiency and synergy. This service could include technical supervision, herd management, cow behavior, milking technique, animal health and hygiene and continuing education on milking techniques. Fortunately, the threat of milkborne diseases and the incidence of outbreaks involving milk and milk products has been greatly reduced over the decade s due to improved sanitary milk production practices and pasteurization. BIBLIOGRAPHY Bren, L. (2004). Got Milk? Make sure its Pasteurized. FDA Consumer Magazine, September- October Issue. Cornell University. 2000. Pasteurized versus Ultra Pasteurized Milk – Why such Sell-by Dates? Retrieved September 29, 2006, from Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Web site. Shearer, J. Bachman, K., Boosinger, J. (1992). The Production of Quality Milk. Retrieved September 29, 2006, from the University of Florida Website: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/DS112. Bren, Linda. Got milk? Make sure it’s pasteurized. findarticles.com. 22 Dec 2009. FDA, Web. 22 Dec 2009. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1370/is_5_38/ai_n6198587/ . World Health Organization. 2007. Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point System (HACCP). Retrieved July 3, 2009. who.int/foodsafety/fs_management/haccp/en/. Research Papers on Milk - How Long is the Shelf LifeGenetic EngineeringRiordan Manufacturing Production PlanMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductOpen Architechture a white paperBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfThe Project Managment Office SystemDefinition of Export QuotasAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropePETSTEL analysis of IndiaRelationship between Media Coverage and Social and

Color Psychology In Marketing The Complete Guide [Free Download]

Color Psychology In Marketing The Complete Guide [Free Download] In content marketing, color is an emotional cue. In an ocean of content marketing, color can help yours stand out. Its what  gets your audience to see what you want them to see, feel what you want them to feel, and to do what you want them to do. Which hues  you choose can  also affect usability  and  whether content is  readable it or not. This is what makes  understanding color psychology so important for the success of your content. However, poor  color choice can also negatively change the impact of your message. Get it wrong, and your great content and your amazing call to action  will be easily ignored. Even NASA is concerned about color;  enough so that they provide free online resources  to help non-designers choose just the right shades. After reading this post, youll understand basic color theory and psychology. Plus, weve included a free hex color chart to make  picking the right colors with easy with any design tool. Ready to become an expert? Lets jump in! Table of Contents: Basics of Color Theory Primary Colors Secondary Colors Tertiary Colors Pure Color Tints Shades Tones The Complete Color Wheel Using Contrast Choosing Color Combos Using Complementary Colors Addressing Color-Blindness Using Split-Complementary Colors Using Analagous Colors Using Monochromatic Colors Using Triangle, Rectangle, and Square Colors Psychology of Colors in Marketing Red Orange Yellow Green Blue Purple Pink Brown Gold Black White Bright Colors Cultural Colors Word Associations With Color Preferences by Gender Mood and Emotions Brand Recognition TestingThe Know It All Guide To #ColorPsychology In Marketing + The Best Hex Chart Let's Start With The Basics Of Color Theory Understanding how color works isn't just for artists dipping their hands into paint and pigments all day long. Anyone in marketing needs to understand the basics of color theory because no matter what you are using color in your content. Back To Top Primary Color Primary colors are the three colors that make all other colors. They are red, blue, and yellow. These three colors can be used to create the next level of colors, called the secondary colors. Exceptions, of course, abound when it comes to talking about primary colors. If you're talking color theory in regards to light, your primary colors would be cyan, magenta, and yellow. Let's not forget CMYK for print and RGB for screens or monitors. And, when mixing paint, it matters what particular pigment you're using to get that red in order to come up with the proper new color. But let's keep this simple and stick with red, blue, and yellow. Back To Top Secondary Color Secondary colors are purple, green, and orange. They are created using the primary colors. If you look on the color wheel, you'll find the secondary colors in between two primary colors. Color Guide: red + blue = purple blue + yellow = green red + yellow = orangeBack To Top Tertiary Color Tertiary colors take  secondary colors one step further. They are the "two-name" colors, such as red-purple, red-orange, yellow-green, etc. They are created by adding more of one primary color than the other creating not a true secondary color. It ends up being closer to the primary color. Back To Top Pure Color Primary, secondary, and tertiary colors, without the addition of white, black, or a third color, are pure (or saturated) colors. They are intense, bright, cheery, and untainted colors. These are the colors of children's toys, daycare decor, and summer clothes. Back To Top Tints When white is added to a pure color, you get a tint. Some people refer to these as pastel colors. They are lighter and paler than a pure color, and not as intense. Tints range from slightly whiter to almost-white. Back To Top Shades When black is added to a pure color, you create a shade. These darken and dull the brightness of pure colors, and range from slightly darker to almost black. Back To Top Tones When gray (black + white) is added to a pure color, you create a tone. You often hear people saying that a color needs to be "toned down", meaning it's too intense and they want to drop the level of intensity. Adding black and white in different amounts to a color subdues the intensity quickly. Back To Top The Completed Color Wheel Whew! So there we have it: a complete color wheel with primary, secondary, and tertiary colors, plus their tints, shades, and tones. You can see how it all fits together on the color wheel below. Cool colors are all on the left side of the wheel, in the blues and greens. The warm colors are all on the right side of the wheel, in the yellows and reds. Now that you understand color theory and the color wheel, you can start to use color purposefully in your content marketing. Back To Top Using Contrast Correctly With  Color When it comes to color techniques, the use of contrast is particularly important, and it's probably the one that will lead you to butt heads with your designer the most. Contrast is how one color stands apart from another. It's what makes text or objects distinguishable from the background. High contrast is when colors easily stand apart from each other. Low contrast is when they don't. Often, people assume a difference in color is what creates contrast, but that's not true. You might have two colors that are completely different  but have no contrast at all because  their tone is the same. To test out your colors contrast, turn them into grayscale and review their contrast. Colors, in their pure form, have inherent differences in how light and dark they are. Yellow is bright, for example, while blue is darker. Yellow  and orange  have little contrast with each other, despite being different colors. When different colors have the same tone (level of gray as you  just learned), they will not have much contrast, either. It isn't enough to simply pick two different colors when making decisions about contrast. Using High And Low Contrast Generally, high contrast is the best choice for important content, because it is most easily seen. Dark on light or light on dark–it's the easiest to read. It might not be exciting, but it is readable. One word of caution, though: If everything is high contrast, nothing stands out and it's tiring on the eye after a while. (e.g. Think of black computer screens with bright green text.) Designers often prefer low contrast techniques. They like to make things look beautiful, but beautiful isn't always the best for readability. Tone-on-tone similar colored combinations are very popular and while their subtlety is quite attractive, they are also difficult for people to read. Pro Tip: Try to find the balance between beautiful color schemes, and legibility for optimal clarity in your visuals. In order to use similar colors, while getting the contrast you desire, create a color scheme with both complementary and analogous colors. What's that? Let's keep reading! Choose #colors and contrast that is readable. Beautiful content that can't be read is a fail....Back To Top Choosing Color Combinations The color wheel can help you choose great color combinations for your call to action button, your infographics, and your lead collection pop-up. Keeping your color combinations simple will help you in the long run. A study from the  University of Toronto  showed on how people using  Adobe  Kuler revealed most people preferred simple color combinations that relied on only 2 to 3 favorite colors. People like simplicity; it makes your content easier to understand if they don't have to interpret it through many colors. And remember, color has meaning  so each color adds or takes away from your message. Too many colors make for a confusing message. So how do you choose those 2 or 3 colors? The color wheel can help. Using Complementary (Opposite) Colors Complementary color combinations make things stand out. Complementary colors are "opposite" colors. They are opposite of each other on the color wheel, meaning the one color they lack is that one opposite of them. They are geographically and color-wise the opposite, and provide a kind of visual tension because they are so opposed to each other. You might even notice that some of your favorite sport teams use  complementary colors. From football to hockey, opposite colors are used for some great color combinations. Blue is the opposite of orange. Red is the opposite of green. Yellow is the opposite of purple. Opposites attract! When the human eye sees a painting full of different kinds of greens, any bit of red is going to stand out amazingly well. Why? Because red is the opposite color of green. When the eye has been looking at a lot of the same color, it wants to see the opposite for a visual break. Using complementary colors is the easiest way to get something to stand out. Use them with caution to keep your content from being too visually jarring. You don't want 50% orange and 50% blue because neither color wins and it causes distress to the eyes. Pro Tip: pick a primary color as your main color, and then accent it with its complement color for more of a 7:3 ratio. This provides a beautiful color pairing, but also lets your eyes break on the opposite color. Let's look at the homepage as an example. What colors do you see? It's mainly  blue, but our most important button, the "Get Started Free Now" button, is orange. Orange  is the opposite color of blue. In a sea of dark blue,  your eye is going to naturally notice orange  faster than any other color. We also ensured that the orange button contrasted from the dark blue to make it even more visually present. Back To Top Caution: Addressing Color Blindness A quick word of caution:  Red and green, two complementary colors, present a sticky problem. Some people have  color blindness and cannot distinguish between certain colors, and red and green are a common problematic combination.Colors with heavy amounts of red and green in them get bungled up, too. Did you know that Facebook is blue because Mark Zuckerberg is red-green colorblind? He sees blues the best. The above example shows the three types of color blindness: Deuteranope, protanope, and tritanope. Similar to Mark who sees blue best, it's no wonder why blue is one of the more popular colors as it stretches even beyond color blindness. To help with color blindness when using  complementary colors, remember there must be high contrast. Try to never use a color solely as the information source. Include text in graphs and infographics whenever possible as well. High contrast and additional text  will ensure that even when color blindness is present, your visuals will be both readable and enjoyable to see. Back To Top Using Split Complementary Colors If you want to use three colors instead of just two, using split complementary color schemes is a way to capitalize on the power of complementary colors but add a third color to your palette. To use it, you'll choose one color as your base color, and then the two colors adjacent to its opposite. For example, if we decided to choose green as our main color, we'd look across the color wheel for its complementary color, red. Then, look to the two colors directly beside it. Now, we have green, red-orange, and red-purple for a perfect split complementary color scheme. A split complementary color scheme doesn't have quite the same level of tension that a complementary color scheme does, but it's still visually exciting for your eye. It also adds a level of variety to your color scheme that can be used in a very dynamic, meaningful way. Back To Top Using Analogous Colors Analogous colors sit next to each other on the color wheel. They are "related", a kind of family of colors that creates pleasing and relaxed visuals. They aren't jarring, opposite, or clashing. They also don't stand out from one another. Analogous colors can create subtle and beautiful content, but you may need to add  a complementary color to get any particular item to stand out. Back To Top Using Monochromatic Colors Monochromatic colors are a single color, with its tints, shades, and tones. They are even more soft and subtle than analogous colors since it's a color palette based on one single color. Monochromatic colors work great when paired with a single complementary color. On the website, we use monochromatic blue  colors with orange  for the content we want to get noticed. Most designers- when using complementary colors- pair a rich collection of monochromatic colors with a single complementary color. Pair a rich collection of monochromatic colors with a single complementary #color #design Back To Top Using Triangle, Rectangle And Square Colors It isn't difficult to create color combinations that stretch the boundaries of the easy power of complementary opposites and the related analogous and monochromatic palettes. All you need is a triangle, rectangle, and a square. A triangle (triad) is a color combination made of three colors that are evenly spaced around the color wheel. A rectangle (tetradic) is a color combination made of four colors that are made up of two complementary pairs. A square is similar to a rectangle palette, but the two sets of complementary pairs are colors evenly spaced around the circle. These three combinations can be visually noisy if you're not careful. The best application is to use one color as the dominant color, and the others for highlighting content. The triangle combination is particularly vibrant; three is a "stable" number and using three colors is visually stabilizing. Back To Top The Psychology of Colors in Marketing Color is an essential tool because it has an impact on how we think and behave. Color directs our eye where to look, what to do, and how to interpret something. It puts content into context. It helps us decide what's important and what's not.  That's precisely why, as a content marketer, you need to understand what colors mean  to people. While color psychology has been studied and analyzed over time, the psychological impact of color is still moderately subjective. We don't all react the same way to colors, as we all have previous experiences with colors from significant events, cultures, people, and  memories. However, there are a few generalities about how people respond to color, and that's what we're going to look at. Back To Top The Color Psychology of Red Red is a very powerful, dynamic color that reflects our physical needs whether to show affection and love, or to portray terror, fear,  and survival. Red is also a very energizing color that can portray friendliness and strength, but can also be demanding and show aggression depending on its context. Overall, if you're looking to have a really powerful presence or get someone's attention fast, red is your go-to color. Just remember to use it sparingly to avoid the extreme negative reactions it can so easily awaken. Red is commonly seen: Stop lights, Valentine's Day, and horror films. Back To Top The Color Psychology of  Orange Orange has a very interesting psychological meaning as it combines red's power and energy with yellow's friendliness and fun. The mix makes orange  a good representation of  physical comfort in our warmth, food, and shelter. (It even stimulates our appetite so watch out if you're hungry!) Orange is also known to be a color of motivation, lends  a positive attitude, and general enthusiasm for life. Overall, orange is great for bringing comfort in tough times, and creating a sense of fun or freedom in your visuals. Orange  is commonly seen:  Fruits, sporting events, and board games. Back To Top The Color Psychology of  Yellow Yellow is the epitome of joy, happiness, cheerfulness, optimism- you name it. Anything happy is almost always yellow. The wavelength of yellow is particularly long, making it  have one of the most powerful psychological meanings, while also being the easiest color to visibly see. (Did you know yellow is the first color infants respond to?) Whenever you need to lift someone's spirits, increase their confidence, or provide inspiration, use yellow. However, avoid using yellow too much because it's also known to  make us more critical causing self esteem issues, fear, or anxiety. Find the right balance of yellow to motivate rather than bring others down. Yellow  is commonly seen:  Traffic crossings and signs, smiley faces, and window-front displays. Back To Top The Color Psychology of  Green Green is a color of balance and harmony. It lends us a clearer sense of right from wrong since green  incorporates  a balance of both the logical and emotional. Green is one of the most-seen  colors in nature reflecting life, rest, and peace. It  is also a sign of growth, whether that's in a physical object like plants  or in our income and wealth. Overall, if you're looking to portray health,  rest, and to relieve stress, green is your color. While green does have minor negative aspects like over-possession and materialism, it has a more positive affect than most other colors. Green  is commonly seen:  Nature, economic exchange,  health-based stores, and restaurants. Back To Top The Color Psychology of  Blue Blue is known for its trust and dependability. It's reliable, responsible, and mentally soothing. For that reason alone, it's one of the most-liked colors across the entire world. Unlike red, blue lends a more mental reaction rather than physical that allows us to destress, calm down, and think of the most ideal situation. Unfortunately, it also is one of the last colors to be seen, and can be perceived as distant, cold, or unfriendly if used it great amounts. Overall, blue is a well-liked color that can bring a sense of calmness and trust when building relationships, especially in marketing. Blue  is commonly seen:  Workout facilities, hospitals, and spas. Back To Top The Color Psychology of Purple Purple is most commonly known for its imagination and spirituality. It possesses the energy and power of red, with the stability and reliability of blue, making it a perfect balance between the physical and spiritual. Purple is often used to show luxury, loyalty, courage, mystery, and magic. It's a very intriguing color as it soothes, but also presents space for mystery and new ideas. This is why creativity is most often associated with the color purple. When using purple, avoid using it too often as it can also cause too much introspection or distraction as thoughts begin to wonder. Purple  is commonly seen:  Magic shows, fairy tales, and luxury products. Back To Top The Color Psychology of  Pink Pink is a softer, less intense version of red that creates a sense of compassion and unconditional love. While it's a very physical color, it soothes rather than stimulates, making it a perfect color for caring, understanding, and nurturing those in need. Pink is a sign of hope. It  is also known to be very romantic as it shows empathy and sensitivity. If too much pink is used, it can be very draining, show a lack of power, and even immature. Overall, pink can be a great counter-option to the color red when used appropriately. Pink is commonly seen:  Cancer patients, little kid objects, and bathroom  products. Back To Top The Color Psychology of Brown Brown, while maybe not the most visual stimulating color, is a great sign of structure, security, and protection. Whether it's family, friends, and material possessions, brown offers constant support. It's also a very serious, down to earth color you  can use where black might be too intense. The downfall to brown is that it's the most safe color and can seem reserved, scheduled, and boring. Overall, use it when necessary, but don't depend on it too  heavily. Brown  is commonly seen:  Campgrounds, home furnishings, and coffee shops. Back To Top The Color Psychology of  Gold Gold has quite a few different meanings depending on your culture. Across the world, though, gold consistently represents some variation  of charm, confidence,  luxury, and treasure. It  also can have an element of friendliness, abundance, and prosperity that is naturally attractive. Too much gold, however, can seem egotistical, proud, and self-righteous. Similar to colors like brown and black,  try to use gold more sparingly to highlight rather than be the main attraction. Gold  is commonly seen:  Luxury products, rings, and trophies. Back To Top The Color Psychology of  Black Black is a color of sophistication, seriousness, control, and independence. Although, it can also be used to show evil, mystery, depression, and even death. Black is  a very reserved color that completely lacks any light  as its an absence  of all the colors. It likes to stay hidden, in control, and separate from others. For this reason, black is a great color for high contrast and easy legibility. Unfortunately, since its a very powerful color, too much black can cause sadness and overall negativity so use it sparingly and in your text more so than the visuals itself. Black is commonly seen:  Professional attire, luxury products, and limos. Back To Top The Color Psychology of  White White is color that is complete and pure,  making it a perfect example of purity, innocence, cleanliness, and peace. White can also represent  new beginnings, providing a blank slate, and gives refreshment for new ideas. Since white has an equal balance of all the colors, it can exemplify several meanings, with equality outweighing them all. White is a great color for simplicity, cleanliness, and idea creation; however, avoid using too much white as it can cause isolation, loneliness, and emptiness. White  is commonly seen:  Weddings, website backgrounds, and doctor's waiting rooms. More Scientific Findings of Color Back To Top Bright Colors Faber Birren, a 20th-century color researcher and author of  Color Psychology And Color Therapy, discovered something interesting about general color groups. He  found that bright light and bright colors promoted "big muscle" activity, while softer and deeper colors promoted mental and visual tasks better. He also discovered that red stimulates our nervous system while blue relaxes it. Red and related colors also caused people to overestimate the passage of time  while cooler colors like green and blue were the reverse. That means that: Bright colors promote physical activity  but make the passage of time seem slower. Cooler and softer colors are better for mental activity and make the time seem to fly by.Cooler and softer #colors are better for mental activity and make the time seem to fly by!Back To Top Cultural Color Color also means different things in different cultures. According to researcher Joe Hallock "Eskimos use 17 words for white as applied to different snow conditions, where in the Northwest United States there are only 4 or 5." Every culture understands a color differently. It has a role to play in religion, politics, ceremony, and art. The culture your audience is in affects how they understand deeper meanings of color. Even the context you use the color in affects the meaning of color. For example, in India, red means purity, while in the U.S. it denotes passion and specific holidays. Back To Top Word Connections To  Color In a survey, people were asked to choose the color they associated with particular words. Trust:  Most chose the color blue (34%), followed by white (21%) and green (11%) Security:  Blue came out on top (28%), followed by black (16%) and green (12%) Speed:  Red was overwhelmingly the favorite (76%) Cheapness:  Orange came first (26%), followed by yellow (22%) and brown (13%) High Quality:  Black was the clear winner (43%), then blue (20%) High Tech:  This was almost evenly split, with black the top choice (26%) and blue and gray second (both 23%) Reliability:  Blue was the top choice (43%), followed by black (24%) Courage:  Most chose purple (29%), then red (28%), and finally blue (22%) Fear/Terror:  Red came in first (41%) followed by black (38%) Fun:  Orange was the top choice (28%), followed closely by yellow (26%) and then purple (17%) Blue is clearly a color people are positively drawn to, but beyond that, little else can be said. Depending upon the context of the rest of your content, black can mean high quality and trust, or it can mean fear and terror. It can't do it on its own, but surrounded by your content, a color choice can bump up your intended meaning a notch. Blue is one of the most preferred colors, with the most positive connotations. #color #creativityBack To Top Preferred  Colors By Gender Compiling the results of many studies, the Kissmetrics blog came up with an excellent infographic  on how men and women experience and react to color differently. Men and women have different color preferences. According to both the Kissmetrics blog and  Hallock: Blue is the favored color by both men (57%) and women (35%), though it is more heavily favored by men. Men dislike brown the most while women dislike orange the most. Colors that were disliked were also seen as "cheap." Men tolerate achromatic colors (i.e. shades of gray) better. Women preferred tints while men preferred pure or shaded colors. A majority of men (56%) and women (76%) preferred cool colors in general. Orange and yellow grow increasingly disliked as both genders get older. Women see more colors than men, generally. They are more aware of slight color differences within a color range. This may explain why men simply call the color blue...blue. Women, on the other hand, see cerulean, sky, teal, turquoise, and all sorts of varieties of blue. Perhaps it is a combination of being able to visually see more differentiation and considering it worthy of a more specific name. Perhaps men are better able to tolerate both colorless and bright color palettes because they aren't as sensitive to the nature and nuances of the color as women seem to be. Did you know that women see more colors than men? #color #contentmarketingWhat does this mean for you? Well, is your audience mostly men or is it women? What age are they? Do the colors you're using in your content marketing attract or repel that audience? If your audience is women, in particular, you must carefully choose colors that are not too raucous. If you are selling a luxury product, you want to avoid colors that are seen as cheap. Back To Top Mood Colors And Emotions (Infographic) There are a few generalized understandings of what specific colors often mean to a large cross-section of people, with each color having negative and positive emotions associated with it. Back To Top Color Brand Recognition How people behave when they see color has a direct effect on your conversions. Will they click the button on your CTA? Will they read your pop-up graphic? Will they notice your email subscription box? According to the Institute for Color Research, people make a judgment about your content in  90 seconds or less. And, up to 90% of that judgment in that brief amount of time is influenced by the colors they see.  Blogger Neil Patel gives further proof of how colors affect your conversion rate, revealing that 85% of consumers base buying decisions on color, and that full-color ads in magazines get recognized 26% more often than plain old black and white ads. In fact, color helps people recognize your brand by up to 80%. It's important to choose your color carefully, and stick with it. When it comes to getting people to click a button or sign up, it's not a question of which color is magic and makes it happen all the time. It's a question of passive and active colors, of high and low contrasts, and of opposites, like our example where the orange  button stood out from the blue. And it's a question of which color tested best for you. Recommended Reading: How To Create A Marketing Strategy That Will Skyrocket Your Results By 9,360% Back To Top Testing Your Best Colors: A Case Study The color combination of orange and blue is a powerful one. It's fairly safe in respects to color blindness, and repeatedly gets favorable marks by people as a combination. But is it enough to just pick a great combination? Not at all; you need to know how to use those colors individually. Let's look at and our Facebook promotions as an example. We've created several designs over the last year, some  with a blue backgrounds, and others  with orange backgrounds. The promotions with the orange backgrounds  consistently made people  more likely to click than those with the blue backgrounds! It made sense, though. Think about Facebook. It is a predominantly blue network, and so our orange image stood out more than our blue image did. This doesn't mean that orange is the color you must use. It means we tested our two colors and found that orange worked the best Test your colors to find out which colors will make people click into your content more often.It means we tested our two colors and found that orange worked the best for us on Facebook. It might even vary from social network to social network so make sure that you do your own testing. What worked on Facebook might look different than Twitter. You need to find out if your red button beats your green button (as Hubspot discovered) on your own. The color of the rest of the page, your content, and the placement objects will make your results different from what someone else has discovered. Back To Top Now You're A  Color Psychology  Expert! Color in general is fascinating to study, from both a theory and psychological standpoint. From Newton, Goethe, Itten, Hering, Young-Helmholtz, Birren, or  Mà ¼ller  (yes, there have been many theories on color throughout history),  the lowly color wheel has been considered and reconsidered again and again. The effect color has on us and our behavior has been studied repeatedly. When it comes to choosing colors, you must test.  You cannot know how your audience will respond to your colors in your content and layout without creating thoughtful A/B tests to determine which color combinations and placements generate the most leads and traffic in your content.