Recently, a recent study has demonstrated that tartrazine, a common food dye, can make the skin of living mice temporarily transparent.
About Yellow Food Dye:
It is also known as tartrazine and is a synthetic food colorant classified as an azo dye.
It is lemon yellow in color and water-soluble.
It is used in many dairy products, beverages, desserts and confectionaries etc.
Highlight of the study
This dye absorbs blue light strongly, which yields its characteristic orange-to-red color when dissolved in water.
This happens because the blue part of the light is absorbed, leaving only the orange-to-red part visible.
Normally, biological tissues scatter light due to their diverse composition of proteins, fats, and liquids.
Researchers found that a concentrated tartrazine solution can match the refractive indices of these components, reducing light scattering and allowing light to pass through. This makes the skin appear transparent.
When applied, tartrazine absorbs certain wavelengths of light, especially red light, changing how light interacts with the tissue.
This effect enabled the researchers to see blood vessels, internal organs, and muscle contractions in real time.
Potential Applications
This technique could simplify blood draws, improve laser tattoo removal and aid in early cancer detection.
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