While it’s technically legal, I do believe they do it to keep consumers in the dark. After all, if we knew what they were putting in there would we keep eating it? Because of this, I’m going to start a series of posts of some of the most disgusting additives in food and share with you what they are and why I avoid them.
Today is carmine (sometimes listed as carminic acid or Natural Red 4). It’s found in tons of food products that are red and even purple, and is made from drying thousands of bugs, then reconstituting them in alum, cream of tartar, stannous chloride, or potassium hydrogen oxalate.
Carmine (pronounced /ˈkɑrmɪn/ or /ˈkɑrmaɪn/), also called Crimson Lake, Cochineal, Natural Red 4, C.I. 75470, or E120, is a pigment of a bright red color obtained from the carminic acid produced by some scale insects, such as the cochineal and the Polish cochineal, and is used as a general term for a particularly deep red color of the same name. Carmine is used in the manufacture of artificial flowers, paints, crimson ink, rouge, and other cosmetics, and is routinely added to food products such as yoghurt and certain brands of juice, most notably those of the ruby-red variety. – Wikipedia
Disturbingly, I found Red 4 listed as an ingredient in Yoplait Whips Raspberry flavor. Are there no raspberries in it? The light pink color of the yogurt certainly could be obtained by adding raspberries, why the bug juice? Seriously? I’m not a bug lover, but I certainly can think of other ways to color something! And can you believe that LEGALLY they can list this as a natural coloring!
“Cochineal extract and carmine are ideally suited and utilized for a variety of food products, including meat, sausages, and red marinades. Cochineal and its derivatives find further important application in fruit preparations, jams, gelatin desserts, juice beverages, non-carbonated soft-drinks, baked goods, confections, icings, toppings and dairy products.” – Source www.wildflavors.com
So, who cares? I do! Some people are allergic and suffer skin problems or even worse, the dye can induce an anaphylactic-shock reaction in a small number of people, due to impurities in the preparation, not due to the carminic acid.1 More importantly, there are other, truly natural ways, to color things and as a vegetarian, I’m opposed to what I consider mislabeling. And am I wrong in blaming the manufacturers when it’s really the consumers that insist on bright red products? Or should I be mad at the government for not making manufactures put the truth on the label? Should it be labeled, “dehydrated and reconstituted scale bugs” instead of “natural coloring”? Would you eat it if it was labeled correctly?
There are alternatives, especially for the home baker. India Tree Natural Food Coloring and Decorating Sugars is one brand that is made from concentrated liquid vegetable colorants. Yes, they cost more, but the more people decide it’s time to eat true natural food, the cheaper they’ll become. To find others, use your favorite search engine and search for Vegan Food Colors.
So I’m wondering, will you continue to eat Yoplait and other red foods knowing how it’s colored? Just curious if I’m overly sensitive. Check your freezer, refrigerator, and pantry and let me know what other items you find.
1 – Source: http://www.food-info.net/uk/colour/cochineal.htm
Thank you for the information. my 7 year old son has been suffering from allergies since he was younger. I was frustrated and didn’t know what the cause was. It took us over a year to figure out he is highly allergic to this “natural food coloring”. it makes me more frustrated to know is something that is not even listed on the label. My son gets severe respiratory problems. I’m glad there are people out there like you to spread the info. Carmine doesn’t affect the rest of the family; However, it is scary to see how sick my son gets. Something that could be prevented is been hidden.
I too am frustrated by the lack of information in labeling. For me it’s a matter of choice, for some like your son, it’s a matter of life and death. I would definitely stick to organic foods for him. It’s the only way to truly know that the flavors and coloring are truly not artificial. Best of luck to you and things are changing, granted slowly, but they’re so much better than they were even 5 years ago.
I will keep eating, and drinking the products. I’m a chef I’ve been at it for thirteen years. I’ve seen how pretty much everything is made, and while classics like hot dogs, and head cheese, really aren’t as bad as people think its more the mundane stuff that would surprise you. The hard outer covering on a lot of candy is shellac, yes that shellac like on wood. Shellac is made buy grinding up a certain kind of beetle as well. It’s also “natural” as you say, but I don’t have a problem with it. Bugs are cleaner than you think, most of them clean themselves after you touch them. It is natural, better an insect than some kind of carbon chain made by Dupont or Monsanto. Plus insects are very healthy and good for you. They have considerably high protein to cholesterol ratio, and they have a much smaller ecological impact, when compared to meat. Many cultures around the world eat insects as a regular part of their diet. With the world population seeming to double every generation, don’t be surprised when you see bugs on the menu somewhere near you!
But I’m a vegetarian, so I prefer not to eat bugs. But thanks for the info on the protein to cholesterol ration and ecological impact. It makes my 15-year long vegetarianism more meaningful.
Carminic acid is also good for killing stomach bugs – gastro. I went to buy red cordial yesterday with carminic acid and couldn’t find any! Very disappointing!! No wonder there’s been so much gastro around lately!!
I suppose you could drink the juice from maraschino cherries – they have carmine in them also. I avoid carmine altogether and have to buy my natural maraschino cherries online.
Shellac is actually made from secretions of the shellac beetle, so it doesn’t requiring harming the beetle to harvest. I guess that means if you are a vegetarian, you can eat shellac.
Yes, I’m aware it’s the secretion and no, that doesn’t change how I feel about it. And no, I don’t eat honey either.
Another thing, it’s not actually a beetle, sorry, but a bug, in the same family as the insects used for carmine.
I’ve seen it referenced as both. Thanks.
Several years ago, we went organic in our pantry. Along with that, we’ve been reading labels very carefully. We do not buy anything with food colorings, especially Red Dye No. 40, but that’s not the only one of concern. It all began when we noticed that our daughters (now ages 7 and 9) would become noticeably hyperactive any time they consumed products with bright colors, such as soft drinks, candies, fruit roll-ups, jelly, ice-cream, etc. At first, we thought it was just the sugar, but we noticed that they did not become as boisterous and crazy when eating less brightly colored foods. We started keeping track of what they ate and it become entirely predictable as to when they would freak out, i.e., it was always the brightly colored foods and beverages.
These days, the girls get only fresh fruit and homemade jams and jellies, and they do not bounce off the walls.
It occurs to me that the enormous issue of ADHD in our schools may well result from the amount of both sugar and food color in school kids’ diet. When I mention this to parents, most of them ignore me. A few have come to find out what we have found out, and they agree wholeheartedly that their kids’ diet must be strictly controlled.
I just can’t understand parents that will not investigate this issue. Perhaps they prefer the sedation of drugs to the hard work of parenting. No one enjoys the fuss kids put up when they are denied treats to which they’ve become accustomed. Sure, there may be some cases of brain dysfunction in some children for which diet has no connection, but I believe the vast majority of ADHD issues result from diet. It might be more productive for parents to investigate their kids’ diet before just accepting a prescription drug for their children.
@Doug,
I couldn’t agree with you more about limiting or removing entirely artificial colors and I would say flavors as well. I agree also about ADHD and I think that those parents are aware just ready to give them up themselves. Until they are, they won’t limit their children either.
Some day celebrations won’t be tied to rainbow colors…except the rainbow of nature. That’ll be amazing.
Thanks so much for the thoughtful comment. Your children are very lucky. Sadly, I raised mine before all this food awareness became easy to find, but I still try to influence their food choices by only buying them organic/artificial-free treats and baking the same. They’re in their mid-20’s, but I like to think it’ll click some day for them what their crazy mom was ranting about 🙂
Connie