Will Bug-Based Food Coloring Catch On?

natural red coloring

Did everybody forget so fast that beets make a fine red coloring? And it's kosher, vegan, and healthy to boot.

If the beet color is too pink/purple for some uses, it can be modified by .... oh, maybe carrots, or other source of yellow coloring.

Shula Edelkind of GA @ Jul 13, 2008 23:52:13 PM

Weird

Why do we need to dye our food? Who cares if it is bright red or blue?

shadow of NC @ Jul 13, 2008 11:42:57 AM

But based food coloring

While eating a dye that is made from bugs doesn't sound appetizing, many of us enjoy things that are even more unappetizing, such as the sweetener which is made by insects through a process where they digest and regurgitate it numerous times. It's called honey.

Carmine might be a good source of red dye, but it is not the only one. Fruits and vegetables can be used, including radish juice, alfalfa, tomatoes, dragon fruit, red chilis, and spinach.

The companies working on these colorings have found processes for removing the flavors (and the heat, in the case of the chili peppers).

Even apples can be used to produce a bright yellow color that could replace the notorious Yellow 5. Called "phloridzine oxidation product" it is formed when apples are pressed to make juice; work on this dye is taking place in France.

An Israeli manufacturer, LycoRed, Ltd, has found a way to produce a bright red from the lycopene that occurs in tomatoes.

There is even a bright green available, and green is a difficult color to create. A German company has developed what they call "Kiwi Green" from a combination of spinach and stinging nettle.

Another hard color to create naturally, bright blue, is being made from algae and is used in "Smarties" the name for a M&M-type candy sold in Europe.

So, while carmine doesn't do too much for my taste buds, it doesn't make kids hyper, so I prefer it. But then, I find eating petroelum to be even yukkier, especially since I learned that in addition to being added to foods, Red dye No. 3 (erythrosine) is also used as a larvicide...it is sprayed on manure piles to kill fly eggs (maggots).

The Food and Drug Administration does have a few rules when it comes to petroleum-based food dyes. They are not permitted to have more than a specified amount of lead, arsenic and mercury. Now doesn't that put your mind at ease! Unfortunately their ability to control such toxic contaminants might not be very good as most of the dyes used in food in American now originate in petroleum refineries in China!

Jane Hersey of VA @ Jul 12, 2008 21:57:09 PM

Save the Malaria Mosquito!!!

I can't wait until PETA starts advocating on behalf of the "rights" of the Malaria Mosquito. :>)

Rickymix of CA @ Jul 11, 2008 21:14:46 PM

Cochineal

If carmine is an allergen it certainly "safe" in any way, shape, or form. Also, if it's non-vegan, GET IT AWAY!

GT @ Jul 11, 2008 17:32:48 PM

re cochineal

Many years ago, I visited a cochineal plantation in Mexico. It was clear then that the future would require this safe coloring. And by the way, it is ancient!

Ruth Gottstein of CA @ Jul 11, 2008 13:29:32 PM