This morning I read an interesting article on MSN.  Apparently a natural substance currently used as a coloring additive in some yogurts, juices, and other products has a rather bizarre origin. The natural coloring used in these products is  CARMINE. While CARMINE is seemingly harmless I am not too sure many people would want to eat it if they knew what it was.The FDA acknowledges that CARMINE is derived by the  crushing  and processing of dried Dactylopius Coccus Costa  which is a beetle.

.The article also discussed another additive  used on jelly beans, gummy bears, fruits and vegetables to give them all their glossy finish.This additive  is SHELLAC. This additive is of the same family of perservitives used for protecting the finish of wood etc. SHELLAC is made from the excrement of the Laccifer locca, which is yet another bug. Personally,I am not too excited about eating the excrement of anything.

What I found most interesting is that when you look for the article now it is gone. I tried to show a co-worker the article this afternoon, and it seems to have vanished. I am wondering if corporate greed has caused so much pressure, or fear of yet another food boycott that the article was pulled.

I did find two other articles that referred to both additives. The article concerning CARMINE was written by Natural News.com and can be found at http://www.naturalnews.com /002043.html . The article was written in October of 2004, and apparently although it was suggested, no move was made at that time to remove the additive. Recently vegetarian groups have asked that if it will not be removed to at least have the package clearly marked with the word CARMINE, so that others would know just what they were ingesting.

The article concerning SHELLAC can be found at http://www.ent.iastate.edu/dept/courses/ent211/use/shellac. The article is written by the Iowa State Department of Entomology.

Just thought  you'd like to know what wonderful things are added to some of the foods we eat.