Carmoisin

/kɑrˈmoɪzɪn/ noun

Definition

A synthetic red azo dye used in textiles and sometimes in food coloring, also known as Amaranth or FD&C Red No. 2.

Etymology

From French carmoiser 'to dye crimson,' derived from carmine; renamed and standardized as a chemical compound in the 19th-20th centuries.

Kelly Says

Carmoisin was one of the first synthetic dyes replacing natural carmine, but it was banned in the US in 1976 due to health concerns—a reminder that synthetic doesn't always mean safer.

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