Blue raspberry is a manufactured flavoring and food coloring for candy, snack foods, syrups, and soft drinks.[1][2] The color does not derive from any species of raspberry;[2] however, the flavor is intended to mimic that of a blackcap raspberry.[1] Its flavor was developed using esters that are part of the flavor profile of pineapple, banana and cherry.[2] Sugar is commonly added to create taste appeal for the blue raspberry flavoring.[2]
Food products labeled as blue raspberry flavor are commonly dyed with a bright blue synthetic food coloring, such as brilliant blue FCF (also called Blue #1) having European food coloring number E133.[3] The blue color was used to differentiate raspberry-flavored foods from cherry-, watermelon-, and strawberry-flavored foods, each of which is typically red.[1][2] The use of blue dye also partially is due to the FDA's 1976 banning of amaranth-based Red Dye No. 2, which had previously been heavily used in raspberry-flavored products.[4]
Blue raspberry flavor and color were first used in the United States in 1958 to add interest to snow cones.[2] Regulatory agencies, such as the US Food and Drug Administration, provide guidelines on artificial flavors and colors for manufacturers out of concern for consumer safety,[5] and have approved the use of blue raspberry as a safe ingredient since 1969.[2]
References
^ abcMatt Soniak (November 10, 2015). "What is a blue raspberry?". North Dakota State University. Archived from the original on January 29, 2022. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
