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vene Super Senior Member Plus

Joined: 25 Mar 2004 Posts: 4251
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Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2006 8:18 pm Post subject: 6 popular foods made with bugs |
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http://channels.netscape.com/whatsnew/default.jsp?story=1
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We don't want to alarm you, but may you have eaten beetles with breakfast this morning. At least six popular foods and drinks are made with coloring derived from crushed female cochineal beetles. You may not find that on the ingredient list--yet. The Wall Street Journal reports that the Food and Drug Administration has been persuaded by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a consumer advocate group, to propose a requirement that companies disclose when a food contains dried bug carcasses.
Six foods that contain crushed female cochineal beetles:
Good & Plenty candy
Dannon Fruit on the Bottom Boysenberry yogurt
Tropicana Ruby Red Grapefruit
Yoplait Thick and Creamy Low-Fat Strawberry yogurt
Tropicana Orange Strawberry Banana Juice
SoBe Courage Cherry Citrus Drink
Manmade colorings have to be identified by name on ingredient labels, but that's not so with naturally-occurring colors. So instead of listing "insects" on the label, the companies typically use "color added" or "artificial color." The FDA proposal would require them to use the words "carmine" (it's vivid red) and "cochineal" (it's bright orange). The Journal reports that some companies, notably Dannon, Tropicana and Yoplait, are already listing these on their labels, while others are taking steps to remove the beetle crushings from their products. Still, most people won't have a clue what "carmine" and "cochineal" mean.
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sunset05 Super Senior Member

Joined: 17 Jul 2004 Posts: 1589 Location: Pennsylvania
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Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2006 6:26 pm Post subject: |
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Blach!! I didn't click on the link. Don't want to know anymore. Got more information than I need. Thanks vene
Ick, yuck and shiver. Something else to look forward to reading on labels.
I can't believe companies would do that. |
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Chessmind Moderator

Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 3083 Location: California
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Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2006 2:48 am Post subject: |
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Thanks for this info, Vene. I happen to be vegetarian, so this is extra gross and I eat all those on the list! I'm not buying those things anymore. If I'm going to eat a bug, it's only because it happened to fly into my mouth while I was doing outdoor activities.  |
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t_chelle16 Moderator

Joined: 22 Mar 2004 Posts: 3437
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Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2006 3:47 am Post subject: |
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Cochineal beetles are used in lipstick too.
-Chelle |
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vene Super Senior Member Plus

Joined: 25 Mar 2004 Posts: 4251
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Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2006 6:14 pm Post subject: |
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I will never look at food and lipstick the same way again.  |
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lucidity03 Senior Member

Joined: 22 Mar 2004 Posts: 908 Location: Pittsburgh
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Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2006 9:45 pm Post subject: |
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Well, I'm happy to report that I actually don't eat any of those foods listed.
I didn't take any chances and follow the link to learn more. I'll stay with being lucky so far! |
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coppersmom Super Senior Member

Joined: 29 Nov 2004 Posts: 1150 Location: Deep south Georgia
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Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2006 12:55 am Post subject: |
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Someone once told me that a human swallows an average of 7 spiders over a lifetime while sleeping.  |
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lucidity03 Senior Member

Joined: 22 Mar 2004 Posts: 908 Location: Pittsburgh
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Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2006 8:10 pm Post subject: |
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I've heard of that before, too.
By the way, if you think about it... if you eat bread, you're proabably eating tons of bugs. It's not like they de-but the wheat as it's processed into bread. The little buggies get processed, too.
Heck, from what I understand, bugs are healthy! (Still not appealing, though) |
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sunset05 Super Senior Member

Joined: 17 Jul 2004 Posts: 1589 Location: Pennsylvania
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Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2006 9:04 pm Post subject: |
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I may never eat again.  |
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faeriedust1127 Member

Joined: 03 Nov 2004 Posts: 387 Location: Delray Beach, FL
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Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2006 12:49 am Post subject: |
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The instructor for my Nutrition class was trying to gross us out and told us the same thing about dried herbs and spices....how they are allowed to contain a certain percentage of dried, ground up bugs...legs, wings, etc.
Mmmm.....SPICY!  |
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