Dannon criticized for using insect-based dye in yogurt products

FoxNews ^ | July 25, 2013 | FoxNews

[Innovative]

According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) – a nonprofit food watchdog group – Dannon uses an ingredient known as carmine to give some of its fruit-flavored yogurt a pink color.

Around 40,000 cochineal bugs are needed to produce just one pound of cochineal extract for the carminic acid, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization. In order to obtain the substance, the insects’ bodies are dried and then boiled in water.

The CSPI argued that Dannon's use of carmine is cheating consumers, who believe that fruits are providing their yogurt’s color. They also maintain that numerous studies have found that the insect-based dye can put some people at risk for allergic reactions and even anaphylactic shock.

[null and void]

Yes, I’m given to understand that the Rabbis draw the line at anything too small to see with the unaided eye.

NYC tap water needs to be filtered to remove just barely visible copeopods to be considered Kosher.

[JouleZ]

I see what you did there.....

[null and void]

It’s further complicated by the fact that not all insects are treif...

[DUMBGRUNT]

It also promotes heart health and improves eyesight.

And I always heard that sort of thing would make you go blind?

[bigheadfred]

doesnt dannon promote activia with bigshitus regularis i e LIVE bugs so why worry about the dead ones

[James C. Bennett]

Again, whose “unaided eye”?

I’ve been able to eye-read micron-size etched numbers from optical elements, for years.

These arbitrary qualifications for things to be deemed equally arbitrarily “clean” or “unclean” always crack me up. The jokes are all halal!

[null and void]

I’ve been able to eye-read micron-size etched numbers from optical elements, for years.

Enjoy it while you can, I used to be able to as well.

[Chode]

LOLOLOL!!! 100%

[Virginia-American]

I don’t know about ties to Soros but they are certified whack jobs. A good rule of thumb is whatever they are against is probably safe and beneficial.

Actually, it's a Ralph Nader front, as are most things wirh "PIRG" in the name.

[jayrunner]

There are many things I really don’t want to know anything about: Insect dyed yogurt being one of them.

[DBrow]

Starbucks went through this recently.

[Calvin Locke]

And about that time (latter 18th century), Dutch wine merchants were adding cochineal, and vegetable dyes to perfectly good French wine, as well as taste changing ingredients, just to get the “claret” look and “body” that would sell.

[Ellendra]

Honestly, I’d rather have bug-based dye than Red Dye #40.
(But then, I’m allergic to Red #40)

[UnwashedPeasant]

Wikipedia:

"Most consumers are unaware that the phrases 'cochineal extract', 'carmine', 'crimson lake', 'natural red 4', 'C.I. 75470', 'E120', or even 'natural colouring' refer to a dye that is derived from an insect. One reason for its popularity is that many commercial synthetic red dyes were found to be carcinogenic. The dye can, however, induce an anaphylactic shock reaction in rare cases."

These bugs provided the red color for the British Red Coats, according to the museum I swiped this image from:

[tsomer]

Shellac is widely used in foods, for example it’s the coating on M&M’s. They’re not sure if bugs make it, or if it’s secreted the tree that the thrive on, but bug dung is in it.

I guess they ought to plainly list these constituents on the packaging,as the Wiki article cited above notes that aniphylactic shock can occur.

Allergic reactions are puzzling to me, but I know from experience that they’re serious.

[R_Kangel]

.... Actually most of us don't have any idea what we are actually eating.

However .... For instance ..... I guess eating a little bit of bug stuff in yogurt ranks right up there with eating beaver anal gland residue that is used in raspberry and strawberry flavoring.

.... oops sorry ..... didn't mean to spill the beans. The way I found out about that is when I was sipping some raspberry flavored Two if by Tea with my mother ..... she picked that time to enlighten me to that fact ..... Geeeeeez Ma .... bad timing!!!

[rfp1234]

WOL
War on Ladybugs

[Age of Reason]

The sugar or artificial sweeteners they put in that crap are far worse for people than insect parts.

But even without the additives, I suspect just plain yogurt and all other dairy products are bad for your health.

[Slump Tester]

So when was the last time anyone got anaphylactic shock from eating yogurt?

Just sayin'...

[Praxeologue]

If you only eat whole foods, nothing prepared, nothing in a box or a tin or a cup, you will have complete control over what foods you consume. Go a few steps further, become a vegan, and you don't need to worry about what animal they are trying to pawn off on you, or what that animal has been eating.

The rising cost of food around the world may force some meat eaters to consume insects for protein. This is yet another problem avoided by vegans.