The Unnatural Origins of Blue Raspberry Flavor

Tom Blank of Weird History Food explained how blue raspberry came about, why red raspberry was out of the question due to the carcinogenic properties of red dye, and why this weird flavor became ubiquitous with kid’s snacks, particularly in the 1990s. The flavor has no natural ingredients, and not surprisingly, it was completely made in a lab.

Nothing throws a funky monkey wrench into the works like blue raspberry this Frankenstein’s monster of sugary creations with its distinct electric color can’t be based on anything found in nature, can it? Well today we’re heading into the flavor Labs with one mission – what the heck is blue raspberry?

Lori Dorn
Lori Dorn

Lori is a Laughing Squid Contributing Editor based in New York City who has been writing blog posts for over a decade. She also enjoys making jewelry, playing guitar, taking photos and mixing craft cocktails.