Have you ever wondered how foods or drinks look more vibrant and appealing when presented in red? The bright red colour used can be found in all sorts of food, body care products and cosmetics on supermarket shelves and even in [ihc-hide-content ihc_mb_type=”show” ihc_mb_who=”2,3,5″ ihc_mb_template=”1″ ] our home. The red colour presentation comes from a dye known as carmine. Carmine is made from crushed insects called cochineal bugs. Only the females of cochineal bugs are used for the pupose. In the 1500s, the Europeans found that the Aztecs were producing vibrant, cochineal-dyed fabrics that retained their colour for an incredibly long time. Soon, dried cochineal became a major trading commodity. Carmine is one of the most stable natural pigments when exposed to heat and light. Until 2009, carmine fell under the generic term “natural colour”. However, when it was discovered that this dye could cause severe allergic reactions in some people, the Food and Drug Administration or FDA decided that it needed to be clearly labelled on packages. [/ihc-hide-content]
