Tag: Fluorescence

Over 50% of the riboflavin in milk can be destroyed after just two hours of exposure to bright sunlight, which is why milk is sold in opaque cartons. This light sensitivity is also why the pure form of vitamin B2, or riboflavin, has a distinctive appearance that is highly visible and naturally fluorescent.

While many viral videos show solutions of crushed vitamin pills glowing under a blacklight, the effect is due to riboflavin (vitamin B2), not vitamin B-12. In fact, vitamin B-12, or cobalamin, is a poorly fluorescent molecule that exhibits only extremely weak and short-lived light emission.

Over 500 years ago, healers discovered that soaking bark from the Palo Azul tree produced a brilliant, fluorescent blue tea. If your Palo Azul doesn't turn blue, it can be disappointing, but this doesn't mean your tea is ruined or useless; it just indicates a specific brewing condition is missing.

Did you know that some household ingredients can make food glow under a blacklight? Learning what ingredient makes food glow in the dark reveals the fascinating science behind edible fluorescence, turning everyday foods into magical, luminous creations.

While bioluminescent fungi can light up a forest floor, many people still wonder: **Are there any foods that glow?** The answer is complex, spanning from literal self-generated light to the nutritional compounds that create a fluorescent effect under UV light, as well as the 'glow' of healthy skin from a good diet.