TIL that cochineal extract, also known as carmine or Natural Red 4 is a food dye made from crushed up bugs.
TIL that cochineal extract, also known as carmine or Natural Red 4 is a food dye made from crushed up bugs.
www.livescience.com The Truth About Red Food Dye Made from Bugs
If the idea of eating red food dye made from bugs grosses you out, consider that if it doesn't come from a bug, it may come from something worse.
It is used in Tropicana grapefruit juice and Dannin yogurt to name a couple big companies.
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For people in the EU: anything with E120 in the list of ingredients contains cochineal extract.
The weird thing is it counts as vegan too!
Now look into shellac, mmm