Maraschino cherry

In their modern form, the cherries are first preserved in a brine solution usually containing sulfur dioxide and calcium chloride to bleach the fruit, then soaked in a suspension of food coloring (common red food dye is FD&C Red 40), sugar syrup, and other components.

(This term is also used to refer to other varieties, including Amarena, Balaton, and Bing, when used for the same purpose, typically soaked in alcohol or sugar.

As a garnish, they can be used to decorate frozen yogurt, baked ham, cakes, pastry, parfaits, milkshakes and ice cream sodas.

They are an integral part of an American ice cream sundae,[4] giving rise to the term "cherry on top" in more general usage.

The artificially-colored and sweetened Royal Anne variety were required to be called "Imitation Maraschino Cherries" instead.

Ernest H. Wiegand, a professor of horticulture at Oregon State University (OSU), developed the modern method of manufacturing maraschino cherries using a brine solution rather than alcohol.

When Wiegand began his research, there were several ways to preserve maraschino cherries without alcohol, long before Prohibition went into effect.

The ban on Red Number 4 was lifted in 1965 to allow the coloring of maraschino cherries, which by then were considered mainly decorative and not a foodstuff.