By Benjamin Colcher (7th)
Recent studies have revealed that mint chocolate chip ice cream may contain a rare bacteria that, when consumed in large quantities, can lead to temporary color blindness. This startling discovery has sparked a heated debate among food scientists and health experts about the potential risks of this popular flavor.
A World Favorite
Mint chocolate chip ice cream. It makes an ordinary treat burst into your mouth. From the nice crunch of chocolate chips, to the breathtaking breath it breathes into your mouth. According to a recent survey, 21% of Americans think that it is the ‘Top Dog’ of this frozen and creamy delight. But no matter which brand-Breyers, Turkey Hill, or your local creamery-This dessert is hiding a dark secret.
A New Study
Scientists have recently done a study on some of the chemicals that make up the minty flavor. Through this, a new bacteria named virdispidia coli has been discovered. This bacteria, nicknamed V. Coli, is actually also used in some other foods such as Apple Jacks and other green foods, as it is an ingredient in a natural dye that was made to replace the sugary and artificial chemicals found in other products. V. Coli tend to feed off of chlorophyll, which is a green pigment found in a plant’s chloroplasts that cause their green color. Due to ingesting enormous amounts of chlorophyll, V. Coli are also known as Green Ticks, as they become green due to the chlorophyll pigments, just as how ticks become red due to sucking on a hosts’ blood.
At first, these tiny bacteria may not seem hostile, but after digesting the chlorophyll, it can overlap with another chemical called vesperin. Vesperin is the chemical that they emit through olfactory glands in order to filter out any filth that may enter their bodies, and it is the same to these bacteria as carbon dioxide is to us. Sometimes, although very rarely, the V. Coli may accidentally let some of the chlorophyll out through these glands, which mixes with the Vesperin that is busy coming out. When these two chemicals mix, which they aren’t supposed to, it can become dangerous to a person’s neurons. When a tiny bit of this chemical reaction is swallowed, it can cause a malfunction in the nervous system that causes the vision to become blurry and distorted. This results in color blindness. Luckily, however, this effect is only temporary, and its length and severity is determined by how much of the chemical reaction you have ingested.
A Sudden Disaster
News around this discovery became a sudden craze around the world. Many companies that produce products with V. Coli have attempted to address the public outcry, but these same companies have been accused on platforms such as Twitter and Facebook of knowingly incorporating the bacteria, but there is no evidence to back this up.
Many protests against these products and the stores and companies associated with them have caused a big issue with economies all around the globe. After all, these bacteria have become common in many artificially green colored products. But luckily for all those mint ice cream enjoyers, scientists have been searching for a way to solve this problem.
A New Way Forward
Despite the accusations against the V. Coli, the bacteria itself isn’t harmful. Its effects are accidental and actually can harm the bacteria itself if it releases too much chlorophyll. In fact, the chemical reaction they cause is actually becoming a worldwide cure for color blindness, as it is cheap and easy to mass produce.
However, if this chemical reaction is consumed too much in a short amount of time, it can result in permanent damage to the eyes. But fortunately, scientists have been able to genetically modify small colonies of V. Coli so that the chlorophyll isn’t ejected from the olfactory glands. Researchers hope that they can breed these bacteria to once again be able to create the same green dye people know and love.
Post-script: Hey, author here! This is my first real Daily Rubbish article since last year, and I am so excited to share it. It has been awhile, but this article was very hard to create, because although it is satire, I had to use some science to create it. I am going to try and do weekly articles now, so stay tuned!