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Name: Ariel
Grade: N/A
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: N/A
Question:
What makes mustard yellow?, and how is it that it is so hard to get out?

Replies:
I assume you are talking about "regular" hotdog yellow mustard. I don't know the exact substance that makes it yellow.There appear to be several. Google search the term: "mustard yellow color" and you will see a lot of "hits" including several "home remedies" to remove the stain. An effective, but ignored, remedy is sunlight, or even fluorescent light. Keep the spot wet if possible and just let it stay exposed to sunlight or fluroresent light for several days. The dyes in mustard are not light-stable.

Vince Calder

Hello,

There are two different topics here: One: yellow mustard plant flowers are yellow because of plant chemicals "pigments" (carotenoids). The second: the prepared yellow mustard condiment is yellow from food coloring additives including Indian saffron, and sometimes other yellow food coloring and yellow dye agents.

Anthony R. Brach
Missouri Botanical Garden
c/o Harvard University Herbaria


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