Why do red / tomato based foods stain clothes and silicone things in a dishwasher?

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Whenever we have something like Indian or even certain soups, if they go through the dishwasher without being rinsed first, anything that is silicone (white) usually comes out tinged with red.

Or if it gets split on clothes, it stains a lot more than any other colour food.

Why is this?

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2 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

Tomatoes contain lycopene, which is what gives them their red color. Lycopene is non-polar, as is plastic, so the lycopene will basically dissolve into the plastic.

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