On modern airport X-ray scanners used by the TSA and global security agencies, food and other materials are color-coded based on their atomic density and composition. Most food items are organic, meaning they contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, and they appear as shades of orange on the security monitor. Dense or thick organic materials, like a large jar of peanut butter or a thick steak, will show up as a darker, more saturated orange, while lighter items like a bag of chips or bread will be a pale orange. If the food is contained in a metal tin or has metallic foil packaging, the scanner will show blue or black shapes (for the metal) overlapping the orange. Liquid or gel-like foods (like yogurt or jam) are particularly scrutinized because their density can mimic that of liquid explosives. This is why security officers often ask you to remove large food items from your bag; the "clutter" of many organic orange shapes can make it difficult for the scanner's AI or the human operator to see if a threat, like a weapon (which would appear blue/green), is hidden behind your snacks.