Major food producers and chain restaurants have to follow trends to stay relevant, and right now the trend is ditching artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives. The latest manufacturer to join this party is Kellogg, a company with falling sales since Americans just aren’t as into cereal as we used to be. [More]
cochineal extract
Starbucks Stops Using Bug Extract In Products
By 4.19.12
Cochineal extract has the vague name one would come to expect from a food ingredient. And for years, it’s been used as a food coloring option for people looking to get a nice red hue in their edible items. But what some folks don’t know is the “cochineal” in cochineal extract is a tiny insect that is pulverized to make the red dye. [More]
Strawberry Frappuccinos No Longer Vegan, Contain Ground-Up Bugs
By 3.23.12
A few years ago, we happily passed on the news that a change in Starbucks Frappuccino flavors meant that you could get some flavors in a vegan formulation. But now, if you’re a Frappuccino lover who eschews eating animals, you’ll have to stay away from the strawberry variety from here out. The good news is that the newest base doesn’t contain artificial red food dye. The bad news is that’s because it’s been replaced with cochineal extract, a dye made from dried, ground-up insects. [More]
