Mars Inc. and Ohio State were issued a patent for veggie-based blue dyes for candy and other sugary treats, reports Columbus Business First. Scientists developed a method to separate blue pigments similar to the synthetic dye FD&C Blue No. 1 using red cabbage and purple sweet potato, as well as other potato and carrot varieties.
Mars did not say when or how it intends to commercialize the patent. Rebecca Robbins, Mars Wrigley's senior principal scientist for color chemistry, is listed as lead inventor on the patent, along with another Mars scientist, OSU professor Monica Giusti and Neda Ahmadiani, who earned her doctorate in food science at the school in 2015.
The patent says the new pigment not only can be used in "chocolates, sugar, and sugarless candies of all types, chewing gum, candy bars, and sugar-coated confectionery," which would be of interest to Mars, but could appear in any food, beverage, or pharmaceutical. Full Story
Related: Experts Challenge ‘Natural' Claim of Blue Wine; Category Spotlight: The Other Side of Sweet.
from Specialty Food News http://bit.ly/2H5VP4s
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