"Taste the Rainbow"

Kevin

Code Monkey
Staff member
Candy fans out there will recognize the title of this thread as the tagline for the Skittle's brand of candy. But it is really M&M's that is making me think today.

In the movie Martian Child there is a scene where one of the main characters insists that he can taste colors. To prove it, he correctly identifies the color of red, green, and yellow M&M candies while his eyes are colored.

Now before you say it... of course I know that you can not really taste colors, that's not my question.

Do M&M's candy shells have a flavor to them? I would think not but I may be wrong.

And if they do not have a flavor... then are there people out there with such sensitive taste senses that they can actually taste the different food dyes?
 
The candy shells are really just crystalized sugar... so all the colors just taste like sugar and food dye. And I don't think anyone can tell the difference between red dye # 5 and yellow dye # 3.

But the green ones are the lucky ones.

2266166256_088170687a.jpg
 
The candy shells are really just crystalized sugar... so all the colors just taste like sugar and food dye. And I don't think anyone can tell the difference between red dye # 5 and yellow dye # 3.
See, that's the part really got me thinking. There are people out there with super sensitive sense of taste and they usually earn a pretty good living by working for food companies. There are also people out there who are allergic to certain food dyes. Add to that my wife who sometimes can actually smell nuts in foods that might even contain a trace amount (she is allergic to nuts).

So now my brain is trying to circle around the idea of perhaps there are people out there who "taste colors" by actually being able to identify the food dyes used. Would be pretty cool if there are any out there.


But the green ones are the lucky ones.
MMs_green.jpg
 
Some people with really rare diseases can taste colours, see music and other wierd sense things.

I do think green food tastes green though, where food dies are involved!
 
Back
Top