Pure dyes, that are derived from vegetation, produce, spices and minerals, haven’t been scrutinized as carefully by researchers for his or her well being affect or the potential for contamination, specialists say. They’re additionally not topic to the identical stringent testing necessities as artificial dyes. That has raised issues amongst some meals specialists and client advocates in regards to the unintended penalties of this shift — and whether or not it is going to truly make meals safer and more healthy.
“The vital factor to recollect with all colours, whether or not synthetic or natural, is that they’re nothing greater than advertising and marketing instruments for meals corporations, to make meals look a sure approach,” mentioned Thomas Galligan, a toxicologist who works for the Heart for Science within the Public Curiosity, an advocacy group. “On the finish of the day, they aren’t strictly vital. And so it’s vital to weigh the chance towards the profit.”
Eric Atkinson says he by no means thought artificial dyes have been unsafe. However when he learn the ingredient lists for his firm’s candies, which his household has been making for the reason that Nice Despair, they at all times struck him as misplaced.
About 12 years in the past, the corporate lastly determined to make the leap. “We have been so near being all pure or all easy elements that we simply went forward and went there,” he mentioned.
He knew how important it was to get the colour proper for the Chick-O-Stick, the corporate’s most recognizable product. All of the packaging for the sweet mimics the colour of the product, which Atkinson describes as “amber.”
“They are saying within the business that style is king, however shade is queen,” he mentioned. “The queen is essential.”
Working with meals scientists for dye producers, the corporate’s high quality management crew began testing mixtures of pure dyes to duplicate the Chick-O-Stick’s signature hue. After years of testing, they got here up with a mixture of dyes derived from turmeric and vegetable juice — first attempting beets earlier than selecting radishes. However they later found that the colour pale underneath LED gentle. This yr, they switched once more to annatto, a preferred pure colorant constructed from the seeds of the achiote tree.
One other shock was the funky odor that got here from among the pure colours. Atkinson remembers one significantly pungent dye constructed from crimson cabbages that smelled like rotting rubbish, although the odor rapidly dissipated when the sweet reached the cooking step, the place it’s heated to over 300 levels.
That wasn’t the top of the challenges. Not like artificial dyes, that are simply produced in U.S. labs, the elements that kind pure dyes are regularly imported. That introduces a bunch of complexities, together with logistics, prices and product issues of safety.
In March 2021, a container ship received caught within the Suez Canal, making headlines worldwide. It additionally created a brand new headache for Atkinson: The ship was carrying the radishes used to create the Chick-O-Stick shade on the time, sending the corporate scrambling for options.
Even with out such obstacles, it may be powerful to search out sufficient uncooked supplies for pure dyes. It takes a substantial quantity of seasonally grown produce — whether or not it’s radishes, crimson cabbages, blueberries or golden beets — to make dyes from vegatables and fruits. Carmine, a vibrant crimson colorant, is constructed from cactus-dwelling bugs in Central and South America; 70,000 of these bugs are required to create simply over 2 kilos of dye.
Sourcing challenges usually imply larger costs: One main dye producer not too long ago estimated that pure dyes value about 10 instances as a lot because the artificial variations.
After which it may be a matter of convincing customers. Although the colour and look of the Chick-O-Stick had remained the identical, not everybody was glad in regards to the new formulation of a traditional sweet.
“We had a number of pushback once we went to the pure colours,” mentioned Atkinson. “A lot of the suggestions that we received was, ‘Give up altering our Chick-O-Stick.’”
Nonetheless, gross sales stayed regular, Atkinson mentioned.
