The ice cream shop is gearing up for busy summer days as the temperature rises.
One local parlor is making a shift towards homemade treats without artificial colors.
Kingcorn, a family-run establishment in Puber, Wisconsin, has announced its decision to get rid of artificial food dyes.
Judy Klosinski, the owner, along with her son Ben, shared that this change was inspired by family health concerns.
“When Ben and his family started looking into the dyes and additives in their food, it prompted our decision to move away from artificial colors,” said Judy Klosinski.
Ben’s son had some health issues in the fall of 2024, leading them to explore natural dye options.
However, the shop struggled to find healthier ingredients from their usual suppliers.
“Over the years, many families have come in with their kids,” Judy mentioned.
Currently, the store’s flavors like “Super Dood” and “Fruity Pebbles” lack any dyes, and the goal is to completely eliminate dyes from all flavors by the end of 2025.
“Since our ice cream is homemade, we’ve found that brightly colored ingredients often contain one to four dyes banned in the United States,” she added.
The FDA has recently approved three new natural colors for food: Gardière extract blue, butterfly flower extract, and calcium phosphate.
“We weren’t sure how customers would respond to these changes, but many have expressed happiness over the new options and the removal of harmful dyes,” Judy noted.
Gardiria extract blue comes from a specific alga and is approved for use in ice cream, while butterfly pea flower extracts can provide blue, green, and purple colors in candies. Calcium phosphate is approved for use as a white color in candy.
“We’re just a family business, and it’s heartwarming to receive such positive feedback from our customers about these safe alternatives,” Ben Klosinski added.
In a similar move, Stella’s homemade ice cream in South Carolina has also decided to stop using artificial dyes. They are experimenting with ingredients like spirulina, turmeric, and purple carrot juice instead.
King Corn has been a staple in the community since 1984.
