Why is homemade meringue not white?

[trufflesnout]

So shop bought meringues are usually starch white, but I'm not surprised homemade ones aren't since they are, well, homemade. But why do they sometimes come out a sort of horrible pinky-beige instead of a pretty off-white? Am I missing something? White vinegar?

*Is this what the white vinegar in some recipes is for? I always assumed it was in there for shine...

You've cooked them a bit too hot.
Shop ones are usually "cooked" by dehydration.

The oven is too hot.

Mine do turn out white, but my mum's have a yellow tinge. We use the same recipe (no vinegar, just egg whites and sugar) but she has a gas cooker which is a bit fiercer I think than my fan oven. Plus make sure you are using white caster sugar rather than golden caster sugar.

Ta v much!