Food coloring in cricket food?

[MantisFTW]

I was just wondering if its safe to add food coloring into cricket food. I bought carry-out crickets from my local Petco before and I noticed that the food cube they kept in the box was a greenish color and as a result, the bellies of the crickets were also a greenish color. I thought this was a neat way to see what crickets are full of gutload and which ones are eating.

If I bought crickets and fed them my own gutload and added some food dye, could it harm them or my chameleon in any way?

 

[gratefulj]

I wouldn't do it, but that's just me and I have my own paranoid reasons.. I mean it's artificial, maybe if you can find an organic one or all natural one ...

 

[shiftyeyes]

i have added food coloring to all my cricket gut load it is totally safe nothing to be concerned about i have three very happy and healthy lizards

 

[Lizardlover]

I would definitely not add food coloring to gut load, it is meant for human consumption and I would think It would kill any feeders upon consumption (apparently not). There are some things you could add to alter the color, such as spirulina, various berries, etc. The food you are mentioning was probably green because of the spirulina in the gelled gutload if I'm thinking of the right thing.

 

[ChamomilleCame]

I am anti-food coloring I hate the fact that it exist... anyway, if some studies show that food coloring isn't healthy for us, I wouldn't expose it to an animal, jmo

 

[Elizadolots]

As you see, this is one of those things that is sort of polarizing...some view food coloring as positively evil.

That's not without merit when you consider that, over the years, some food coloring has been banned as cancerous and many are considered suspect for a variety of health problems.

Yet, people consume food coloring all the time...there's some water additive product you can buy that is basically food coloring + flavor...add as much or as little as you like!!!

So, I think that comes down to your comfort level. If you're like me, sipping a diet soda, eating a red velvet cupcake while you type...well...food color away! If you're one who would never eat a red velvet cake because you know it contains an insane amount of red food coloring*...don't.

*seriously....red velvet cake is CHOCOLATE...it's turned red by the addition of massive amounts of red food coloring. I mean, like 4 ounces for a cake (or 2 dozen cupcakes).