NATURAL EASTER EGG DYES: FOOD SAFETY EXPERT EXPLAINS WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE COLORING EGGS

BLACKSBURG, Va., March 23 -- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University issued the following news release:

Dying Easter eggs is an age-old tradition, but manyAmericansare looking for a more natural way to getthosesignaturepastelcolors, particularlywith the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's recent push for fewer synthetic dyes in food.

Melissa Wright, director of Virginia Tech's Food Producer Technical Assistance Network in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, has adviceon how to use ingredients you might already have in your kitchen tosafely and naturally dye eggs this year.

"There are many foods that can impart color to eggshells," Wright said. "Yellow coloring can come from saffron, turmeric, or carrots; red or pink...