What’s your favorite ICEE, Slushie or Slush Puppy flavor? Mine has always been blue raspberry. I love it. I love the flavor. I love the absurdity of a blue tongue. It’s playful and fun.
But it’s not real. It is completely made up and manufactured. But why? Where did it come from? How did this happen?
Blue raspberry flavor is a fascinating creation that doesn’t actually come from a real blue raspberry, as real raspberries are purplish red.
The flavor emerged in the 1950s when the commonly used red food dye, FD&C Red No. 2, was banned due to health concerns. Food companies needed a new, safe color, and thus, blue raspberry was born.
The first mention of blue raspberry was in 1958 for snow cones, but it gained popularity in the 1970s thanks to ICEE and Otter Pops, which are similar to freezer pops.
Interestingly, raspberry flavor is a mix of banana, cherry, and pineapple, so making it blue wasn’t a big stretch.
This quirky and delicious invention is a testament to creativity and necessity in the food industry.
Next time you enjoy a blue raspberry treat, you’ll know the fun history behind it! It might be fake but it’s still my preferred flavor. Now I need an ICEE.
FULL ARTICLE: HERE