About how we all eat insects without knowing it
Little is said about it but red food dye, which is used very widely, are made of insects.
If you shudder at the thought that you can eat insects, we have some bad news for you. You, most likely, eating. And probably many times.
The fact that one of the most popular food coloring Carmine made from ground bugs.
Insects of which make Carmine, called cochineal. They are common in Latin America, where they live on cacti.
Currently, they are produced mainly in Peru. Every year it mined millions of these little bugs, of which make a popular dye.
This is one of the most important ingredients in the modern food industry. Carmine added literally in everything from yogurt and ice cream to cakes, doughnuts, muffins and cold drinks.
It is also actively used in the cosmetic industry, it is found in many lipsticks.
Carmine is an incredibly popular Supplement since it is stable, safe and durable, the color is little affected by temperature or light.
Supporters of its use say that it was invented by the Mayans and then the Aztecs used more than five hundred years ago. They say that it is much safer than artificial alternatives, such as dyes made from coal or oil.
But even real fans of Carmine will not argue with the fact that its composition should be more clearly marked, and that at the present time, a growing number of natural red dyes, is not made from insects.
Try to find the word Carmine on the packaging with the product that contains it. Not necessarily that it is in the list of ingredients.
Instead, it can be written “natural red four”, “crimson lake” or just E120 — is a the classification number of the Carmine as the European food supplements.
Amy Butler Greenfield, author of the book “a Perfect red” on Carmine and his history, says that even though she is convinced that it always should be denoted, it is a natural product that has stood the test of time.
Carmine is an incredibly stable and reliable natural food dye that can be used to create many colors — pink, orange, purple, even red just. Some people have got serious allergies, but overall he has a great track record.Amy Butler Greenfield
Peru is a leader in the production of Carmine. According to the Peruvian Embassy in the UK, the country holds 95% of the world market. This production gives work to thousands of 32 farmers.
Insects with a total length of about 5 millimeters collected from prickly pear cactus. Value are only apterous females and flying males.