FOOD NEWS
The Strange Origin Of Blue Raspberry
BY LAUREN ROTHMAN
Unlike red, purple, and yellow raspberries, which are all found in nature, blue raspberry is a 'made up' flavor created in the 1950s as a way to sell shaved ice.
Blue raspberry was created by Gold Medal to help raspberry syrup stand out among other red flavors like cherry, watermelon, and strawberry by simply dying it blue.
Blue raspberry wasn’t a hit until the 1970s via brands like ICEE, as an alternative to its red, flagship flavor cherry, or Otter Pops which created the Louie Bloo Raspberry pop.
Another boon for the flavor came when the FDA banned the red food dye used in red raspberry flavors, making FDA-approved blue dye an even more appealing alternative.
Although originally created simply as a blue-colored raspberry alternative, today there are many blue raspberry varieties, with a bright blue color and sweet and sour flavor.
While no such fruit exists, there are whitebark raspberries (aka black raspberries), which range in color from purple to black and have a tangy flavor similar to blue raspberry.