iGEM 2016 team UC Davis

iGEM 2016 team UC Davis

Color is innate in food perception and consumers expect vivid colors - beyond those already present in food. Due to backlash against artificial colorants, some large food companies have pledged to exclusively use natural food colorings, which may result in the disappearance of some brightly colored food. This is a complex transition as there are limited natural options for food pigment and the regulatory framework is evolving. In this project the team demonstrates that the GAF domain of cyanobacteriochrome (CBCR) proteins are a viable natural alternative to artificial food dyes.

Project description