Altering E. coli to Produce Non-Toxic Dye

Feb-25-16 E. coli bacteria may have found a more respected occupation as a non-toxic substitute for dyes used in foods and cosmetics.

The E. coli bacteria was used to enhance the blue dye-making properties of another strain of bacteria that produces the deep blue pigment indigoidine. The original bacterium does not produce much of the dye at a time, though, so the research team genetically modified the E. coli to have multiple copies of the gene that synthesizes the pigment, and thus make larger and more usable quantities. The processed dye is then purified to be safe enough for use in food, beverages and cosmetics.

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