Re: Food colorings in histology
We've used tartrazine as a counterstain with Brown
and Hopps, a
variation of Gram stain. It gives a yellow
background color.
The first time I saw it used as a food coloring was
in a
"Cheetos" type snack
food (it wasn't Cheetos, but another
company's variation, but I don't remember the other company).
I think it's also known as yellow dye No. 5. It's used in a LOT of
things dyed yellow - cereals, dried fruit, cakes, gelatin, ice cream,
cookies, margarine, butter, pasta, etc.
There are probably other food colorings that the
FDA has
classified as GRAS (generally regarded as safe)
when used
in small amounts in food, but which we as
histotechs also
use to stain tissues.
I just don't happen to know the "other" names for
many of
the food colorings.
Peggy A. Wenk, HTL(ASCP)SLS
William Beaumont Hospital
Royal Oak, MI 48073
Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, January 21, 2002 11:15
AM
Subject: RE: Food colorings in
histology
Cochineal is unprocessed carmine. It is currently used
in some soft drinks. It is used in Mayer's alcoholic cochineal stain for
whole mounts of marine invertebrate larvae. It is also used as a nuclear
counterstain in Rinehart and Abul Haj's colloidal iron stain for acid mucins
(Arch. Pathol. 52: 189-194).
I have occasionally used tartrazine (F&DC yellow
#5) as a collagen stain.
Allen A. Smith, Ph.D.
School of Graduate Medical Sciences
Podiatric Medicine and Surgery
Barry University
Miami Shores, Florida
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