Lead chromate, a vibrant yellow pigment, was used to color mustard and snuff in the 19th century, making them appear more attractive. This practice, which was both fraudulent and dangerous, was exposed by chemists like Accum and Hassall. Lead chromate is toxic and can cause a range of health problems, including neurological damage.

The use of lead chromate in mustard and snuff was a subject of scandal and satire in Victorian literature. Poets and cartoonists used the yellow color as a symbol of the deceptive brightness of industrial products, which often concealed hidden dangers. This theme appears in the works of writers like Oscar Wilde, who was interested in the relationship between surface appearance and underlying reality.