I quick-picked some green beans and a week later, the garlic in the jar had turned blue green, turquoise, smurf color. I googled it and brought up a reddit thread that said it's safe to eat.
I did not eat it.
this post was submitted on 19 Aug 2026
59 points (92.8% liked)
Mildly Interesting
27680 readers
424 users here now
This is for strictly mildly interesting material. If it's too interesting, it doesn't belong. If it's not interesting, it doesn't belong.
This is obviously an objective criteria, so the mods are always right. Or maybe mildly right? Ahh.. what do we know?
Just post some stuff and don't spam.
founded 3 years ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments
This is true! I'm no chemist but I make paint pigments from plants rich in anthocyanins, which give them colour. Popular mordants (things that helps a colour stick to fibre) are copper salts, which can brighten the colour or make it more blue/green.
And, an old kind of pigment, verdigris, was made by hanging pieces of copper in closed containers with vinegar, where the vapour would cause a blue/green/gray salt to form.
Super interesting!