Dyeing for M&M's

Overview

Objectives/Goals The objective of this experiment is to identify the FD&C dyes in red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and brown M&M candies using paper chromatography, vinegar solvent, and McCormick and Durkee food coloring controls. Methods/Materials Chromatography papers spotted with extracted candy sample or contol food coloring dyes were placed in a chamber containing vinegar solvent. Capillary action created columns containing one or more different colored peaks. The Rf (retention factor) was calculated by dividing the distance traveled by the dye by the distance traveled by the vinegar. The procedure was carried out six times for each control dye and sample candy, and an average Rf was calculated. Results Using the data, logic, and some guess work, the dyes were identified as: red--red #40; yellow--yellow #6 and likely #5, blue--blue #1 and #2, orange--yellow #6 and possibly #5, green--blue #1 and #2; and brown--blue #1 and #2, yellow #6 and possibly #5, and red #40. Conclusions/Discussion Differences in solubility enabled the FD&C dyes in the M&M candies to be identified by chromatography, which was found to be a fun, easy, and economical process useful in product quality and purity testing.

Awards (1)

• Honorable Mention

Competition history

• CSEF 2011 Chemistry · Entry J0619

Resources

• CSEF project summary ↗

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