Catalog of an exhibition held at the Museum of International Folk Art, Santa Fe from May 17, 2015-September 13, 2015. Three reds : cochineal, hematite, and cinnabar in the pre-Hispanic Mesoamerican ...

Cochineal extract has become one of the most widely adopted natural red colorants across multiple industries due to its superior color stability, heat resistance, and pH tolerance. Derived from the ...

Tuna found in the desert? OK, fair enough: that’s tuna, as in the Spanish for prickly pear, the fruit of the nopal. Ken Factor and I have spotted an ancient cactus tree growing close to the veranda ...

Recently, California banned Red Dye No. 3, a synthetic food colourant used for 30 years over health concerns. Natural red dye, including used for food, has a very interesting story that includes ...

You'd never guess by their whitish-grey outsides, but the bodies of these little critters, called cochineal insects, are a deep purpley red, and once crushed up they are a main ingredient in a bright ...

Truly vibrant red was elusive for many years: until a mysterious dye was discovered in Mexico. Devon Van Houten Maldonado reveals how a crushed bug became a sign of wealth and status. Although scarlet ...

Starbucks has declared that it will no longer use cochineal extract, an insect-derived red coloring, in its wares. If anyone is imagining that the use of this dye is rare or new, they’re mistaken. The ...