# Margarine is really black & ONE MOLECULE away from being PLASTIC? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 18, 2005, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/margarine-is-really-black-one-molecule-away-from-being-plastic/331607 "2005-11-18T04:56:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Waterman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b2d939/32.png) [@Waterman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waterman)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2005, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/margarine-is-really-black-one-molecule-away-from-being-plastic/331607/41 "2005-11-18T23:06:00Z")
This hasn’t already been mentioned so I will throw it in. Based on info from many cookbooks, I started looking at the labels of many salted butters (here in the Northwest) and found that they have Annatto added to them for coloring whereas none of the unsalted butter requires the addition of Annatto. I suspect that as previous threads have stated, the color of butter itself will vary somewhat depending on the diet; however, the addition of the salt (since it is not a natural constituent of butter) probably does diminish the color slightly. FWIW, most cookbooks strongly recommend the use of unsalted butter so that the amount of salt used in the recipe is more under the control of the cook. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/margarine-is-really-black-one-molecule-away-from-being-plastic/331607/42 "2005-11-19T01:17:37Z")
> [@Exapno Mapcase](#): > > Because a dead white spread looked really unappetizing. Mayo? ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/margarine-is-really-black-one-molecule-away-from-being-plastic/331607/43 "2005-11-19T04:09:38Z")
I find mayo utterly appalling on bread, but in fact there is no real comparison. Mayo is a bright white soft spreadable condiment. Margarine used to come in large solid bricks that were an unattractive dead white. The soft yellow tub margarines of today in no way resemble the margarines we’re talking about. Imagine a stick of margarine in a butter dish lying fishbelly-like on the dinner table and you have a better idea why people wanted to disguise it by any means possible. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/margarine-is-really-black-one-molecule-away-from-being-plastic/331607/44 "2005-11-19T04:31:16Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > margarine is initially BLACK, but it is DYED YELLOW to look like butter If you think about this, it’s obvious it must be total nonsense. How can something which is black be dyed any other colour? You can add all the yellow dye you want to something that’s black, but it will still be black. ---
**Author:** ![TJdude825](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@TJdude825](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJdude825)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/margarine-is-really-black-one-molecule-away-from-being-plastic/331607/45 "2005-11-19T08:25:46Z")
> [@Excalibre](#): > > Also, lead is only one atom away from being gold. I think you mean “proton”? ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/margarine-is-really-black-one-molecule-away-from-being-plastic/331607/46 "2005-11-19T08:26:41Z")
When living with my Grandmother, we made some popcorn. She used some fake butter called Smart Heart or Healthy Heart or something similar. I put it in the pan to melt it and eventually I got the pan so hot it started smoking - the damn fake butter refused to melt! Maybe it really WAS one atom from being plastic. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/margarine-is-really-black-one-molecule-away-from-being-plastic/331607/47 "2005-11-19T08:50:05Z")
> [@TJdude825](#): > > I think you mean “proton”? Lead has three more protons and usually 7 more neutrons[sup]1[/sup] than gold. [sup]1[/sup] Difference in number of neutrons varies depending on which isotopes you are comparing. ---
**Author:** ![Mathochist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c89c15/32.png) [@Mathochist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mathochist)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/margarine-is-really-black-one-molecule-away-from-being-plastic/331607/48 "2005-11-19T19:29:26Z")
> [@Zabali\_Clawbane](#): > > Butter itself isn’t normally yellow either, it’s dyed that color. And even that’s not always true. I do a lot of cooking and have become very familiar with Land O’ Lakes unsalted sweet cream butter. I’d call it white. Just barely off-white, maybe. ---
**Author:** ![justwannano](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7ab992/32.png) [@justwannano](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justwannano)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/margarine-is-really-black-one-molecule-away-from-being-plastic/331607/49 "2005-11-20T05:17:27Z")
I’m no chemist and high school chemistry was quite difficult for me but I got the dihydrogen monoxide gag.H[sub]2[/sub]0 for all you that didn’t get it. Also bacon grease with sugar added makes a pretty good bread spread. Dad said they used to use corn syrup and called it a grease sandwich. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/margarine-is-really-black-one-molecule-away-from-being-plastic/331607/50 "2005-11-20T17:37:30Z")
> [@justwannano](#): > > I’m no chemist and high school chemistry was quite difficult for me but I got the dihydrogen monoxide gag.H[sub]2[/sub]0 for all you that didn’t get it… Um…I kind of assumed that anyone who graduated high school would have known what it was. I guess I was [wrong!](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dihydrogen_monoxide) Pretty good joke if you ask me!😛 ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/margarine-is-really-black-one-molecule-away-from-being-plastic/331607/51 "2005-11-20T23:22:18Z")
> [@AskNott](#): > > **pkbites,** you don’t say how recently you have tried margarine, but the stuff has changed a great deal. When I was a wee lad, (early 1950s) margarine was odd stuff with a strange texture, and it tasted like the vegetable oils it was made from. Since then, food scientists have constantly tinkered with the texture and flavor. Some spreads now have a very nice texture, and the flavor is pretty close to butter. > > I’m currently using Smart Balance Buttery Spread. It’s free of trans-fats. The texture is like that of whipped butter, and so is the taste. It’s not butter, but it’s darn close. I have to protest. The only margarine product I’ve tasted that comes close is Land O Lakes spreadable butter-which is butter but with oils to make it easier to spread. I’m with **pkbites** -margarine tastes like ass. ---
**Author:** ![Mesquite-oh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a183cd/32.png) [@Mesquite-oh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mesquite-oh)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2005, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/margarine-is-really-black-one-molecule-away-from-being-plastic/331607/52 "2005-11-21T05:58:44Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > Which is why I’d love to believe the little flyer someone gave me at work. It had all the facts about butter vs margarine in calories, fat, cholesterol, etc… Only in Wisconsin would you find a guy handing out anti-magarine propaganda leaflets at the workplace. Throw off your chains! The revolution is now! ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2005, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/margarine-is-really-black-one-molecule-away-from-being-plastic/331607/53 "2005-11-21T06:32:04Z")
> [@chriscya](#): > > Only in Wisconsin would you find a guy handing out anti-magarine propaganda leaflets at the workplace. > Throw off your chains! The revolution is now! Trust me, nobody had to convince me margarine is bad. I remember the first time I ever had it. About 7 years old. White glop on bread in the school hot lunch line. I thought I had a mouth full of lard (in a way, I did! Vegetable lard!) I also remember the first time my wife brought some home from the store. A big tub of goo! I scooped my hand in and flung a big glob of it onto the wall & told her if she brought it in my house again I’d have her deported. :smack: Yeah, really assholish, but GAWD! I hate that shit! ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2005, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/margarine-is-really-black-one-molecule-away-from-being-plastic/331607/54 "2005-11-21T15:48:24Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > …I also remember the first time my wife brought some home from the store. A big tub of goo! I scooped my hand in and flung a big glob of it onto the wall & told her if she brought it in my house again I’d have her deported. :smack: Yeah, really assholish, but GAWD! I hate that shit! :eek: Words fail me… ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2005, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/margarine-is-really-black-one-molecule-away-from-being-plastic/331607/55 "2005-11-21T17:12:26Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > In Quebec it’s illegal to sell yellow margarine. All margarine availible in stores in white. Many jurisdictions used to have such laws, but Quebec is the now the only place in North America with a ban still on the books. If you think that’s odd, check out[America’s Dairy State Wisconsin’s regulations on margarine:](http://folio.legis.state.wi.us/cgi-bin/om_isapi.dll?clientID=30078445&infobase=stats.nfo&jump=ch.%2097) > [@](#): > > 97.18 Oleomargarine regulations. > 97.18(1) > (1) > 97.18(1)(a) > (a) For the purposes of this section “oleomargarine” or “margarine” includes oleomargarine, margarine, butterine and other similar substances, fats and fat compounds sufficiently adaptable to the ordinary uses of butter, to lead readily to use as an alternative to butter, but this section shall not apply to lard, cream cheese, cheese food compounds, nor to any other dairy product made exclusively of milk or milk solids with or without added vitamins, if such product is sold or distributed in such manner and form as will clearly distinguish it from butter. Nor shall this section apply to shortenings not churned or emulsified in milk or cream or having a melting point of 112 degrees Fahrenheit or more as determined by the capillary tube method unless there is sold or given away with such shortening any compound which, when mixed with such shortening, makes oleomargarine, butterine or similar substances. Colored oleomargarine or margarine shall be made of domestic fats or oils and shall not be made of imported oils which include, without restriction because of enumeration, whale oil, coconut oil and palm oil. > > 97.18(1)(b) > (b) “Colored oleomargarine” or “colored margarine” is oleomargarine or margarine having a tint or shade containing more than 1-6/10 degrees of yellow or of yellow and red collectively but with an excess of yellow over red, as measured in terms of Lovibond tintometer scales or its equivalent. > > 97.18(3) > (3) No person shall sell, offer or expose for sale at retail any oleomargarine or margarine unless: > > 97.18(3)(a) > (a) Such oleomargarine or margarine is packaged; > > 97.18(3)(b) > (b) The net weight of the contents of any package sold in a retail establishment is one pound; > > 97.18(3)(c) > (c) There appears on the label of the package the word “oleomargarine” or “margarine” in type or lettering at least as large as any other type or lettering on the label in a color of print which clearly contrasts with its background, and a full accurate statement of the ingredients contained in the oleomargarine or margarine; and > > 97.18(3)(d) > (d) Each part of the contents of the package is contained in a wrapper or separate container which bears the word “oleomargarine” or “margarine” in type or lettering not smaller than 20-point type. > > **97.18(4) > (4) The serving of colored oleomargarine or margarine at a public eating place as a substitute for table butter is prohibited unless it is ordered by the customer.** > > **97.18(5) > (5) The serving of oleomargarine or margarine to students, patients or inmates of any state institutions as a substitute for table butter is prohibited, except that such substitution may be ordered by the institution superintendent when necessary for the health of a specific patient or inmate, if directed by the physician in charge of the patient or inmate.** > > 97.18(5m) > (5m) The department of health and family services shall assist the department in the enforcement of this section and, in connection with inspections of food service operations at institutions and establishments under its inspectional jurisdiction, conduct compliance inspections and surveys, and report violations directly to the department. > > 97.18(6) > **(6) Any person who violates any provision of this section may be fined not less than $100 nor more than $500 or imprisoned not more than 3 months or both; and for each subsequent offense may be fined not less than $500 nor more than $1,000 or imprisoned in the county jail not less than 6 months nor more than one year.** They’re quite serious about their margarine over there. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2005, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/margarine-is-really-black-one-molecule-away-from-being-plastic/331607/56 "2005-11-21T17:36:08Z")
> [@robby](#): > > :eek: Words fail me… Yeah? Let’s not get too crazy over something I did in 1980. Besides…I remember my wife retaliated by squirting spray can cheese (another abomination:rolleyes: ) on my head and we had a little bit of a food fight that ended with us you-know-whating in the kitchen. (ahhh, newlyweds! 😉 ) ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2005, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/margarine-is-really-black-one-molecule-away-from-being-plastic/331607/57 "2005-11-21T19:32:13Z")
Wow, you REALLY don’t like margarine! 😃 Funny, when I was little, I actually preferred margarine over butter. But sometime in my teens, that reversed itself. ---
**Author:** ![Scupper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Scupper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scupper)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2005, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/margarine-is-really-black-one-molecule-away-from-being-plastic/331607/58 "2005-11-22T00:55:22Z")
> [@Lemur866](#): > > We make butter all the time using milk from a local cow. It’s bright, bright yellow. Must be a weird-looking cow… ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2005, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/margarine-is-really-black-one-molecule-away-from-being-plastic/331607/59 "2005-11-22T03:35:01Z")
I never saw a yellow cow, I do not hope to see one – but I can tell you anyhow, **pkbites** doesn’t much care for non-dairy bread moistener. ---
**Author:** ![Hombre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecb155/32.png) [@Hombre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hombre)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2005, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/margarine-is-really-black-one-molecule-away-from-being-plastic/331607/60 "2005-11-22T16:22:42Z")
I did an informal study. People who said that they did not believe Oleo tasts like real butter, also admitted that they hadn’t spread real butter on bread to eat. I think it’s all advertising hype. A lot of younger people wouldn’t like real butter if they tried it. Why shouldn’t margarine be judged on it’s taste alone and not how it compares to something else? And in the context of food stuffs, you can’t dye black food yellow. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/margarine-is-really-black-one-molecule-away-from-being-plastic/331607.md?page=2)