Starbucks Joins the List of Products Made with Dead Cochineal Bugs

2012 is so much fun! People are coming together to find the truth that has been buried beneath the rubble for so long, and big corporations are having to listen to the people and make changes for the better!

Starbucks has secretly been using bug guts to color their Strawberry Frapucinnos and Red Velvet Whoopee Pies, until a barista who worked there, found the product ingredient list, and now the secret has become a protest.

These bug guts in the tasty treats, are from a particular bug called the “Cochineal”, also known as ‘carmine’ when turned into dye, has been used all over the world for many years, to dye everything from fabric, to rouge, to meat products.

Now that consumers know about the bug blood in their foods and meats, they want changes made. A petition was made on Change.org to get the ingredient taken out of Starbucks treats, and about 1,500 people have signed so far.

On the petition’s page, it says that “Cochineal extract is a red dye made out of dried female cochineal insects. Reports indicate it takes 70,000 cochineal to produce 1 pound of the red dye. Known to cause a rare, but severe allergic reactions in some individuals, the FDA requires manufacturers to list the “cochineal” in the ingredient’s list.”

A rep from Starbucks has responded on the matter, saying that using Cochineal insects, was a step in the right direction, when before, the company used synthetic dyes. The rep says that “At Starbucks, we strive to carry products that meet a variety of dietary lifestyles and needs.”

But apparently, it is unnecessary to kill so many insects just to get a pink dye, when Starbucks and other companies could be using other natural dyes like Red beet, black carrot, purple sweet potato and paprika.

This information is good to know, just like the nasty “Pink Slime” that is being put in foods to save companies money! Learn about Pink Slime HERE.