A Note From the FDA: There Are Beetles in Your Juice
EmailBy KIRK FERNANDES, ABC News Medical Unit So, you know all those ground-up bugs you’ve been drinking and eating? Ooh … awkward moment. You didn’t know you were gulping down ground-up bugs, did you? Well, it turns out that one of the best ways to make a “natural” red food coloring is to crush the dried bodies of the female Dactylopius coccus — a cactus-eating insect from the Americas. The resulting scarlet hue brightens some of our popular juices, candies, yogurts and ice creams. And the same coloring can be used in makeup including lipstick. Earlier this week the Food and Drug Administration issued a rule requiring manufacturers using the dye — known as carmine, or cochineal extract — to label it as such in foods and cosmetics. But not because of the gross factor. Instead, the FDA is doing so to help prevent dangerous anaphylactic reactions in people who are allergic to the insects and are unknowingly ingesting and/or rubbing the colorful bug powder on their faces. The labeling of "these color additives in all foods and cosmetics is necessary to ensure their safe use," stated the FDA report issued Monday. The new requirement was, in part, a response to a citizen petition about the allergic reactions, first launched in 1998 by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, according to the FDA report. But the final rule doesn’t go as far as the center had wanted: an overall ban of the ingredient or a required label to explain that carmine is "insect-derived." "We wanted people to know that it comes from an insect," said Michael Jacobson, the center’s executive director. "Vegetarians, Jews, anybody else who has concerns about eating animal products should know that." It should be noted that cochineal allergies appear to be rare. The FDA collected 14 reports of adverse reactions during a 10-year period. And the agency is not considering it a "major food allergen" like other foods such as shellfish and tree nuts, which are covered by the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004. A quick scan of the medical literature turned up a few reports of people with occupational asthma linked to carmine, including two workers at a carmine factory and two butchers who used the coloring in their sausages (both in Spain). Manufacturers don’t have to start adding the “carmine” or “cochineal extract” labels until 2011, but you can find many products from familiar brands that are already noting the special ingredient. Image of D. coccus cortesy of Peter J. Bryant, University of California, Irvine.
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And yes, I know they’re not beetles, technically.
Posted by: Kirk Fernandes | January 7, 2009, 6:51 am 6:51 am
Of course you eat bugs. Every batch of flour has some bug parts mixed in. Although extremely rare, even ground beef has the potential for soemthing a little extra….human flesh. On extremely rare occasions people working the grinders have fallen in and been mixed in with the beef.
Posted by: Extra_protein | January 7, 2009, 6:56 am 6:56 am
Anybody interested in this topic should read a wonderful book on the subject: “A Perfect Red” by Amy Butler Greenfield
Posted by: Peter Bryant | January 7, 2009, 7:40 am 7:40 am
I thought this was fairly common knowledge. In fact you eat way more insects than that. You can read the ‘US FDA Food Defect Action Levels’ for yourself. Gives exceptable levels of mold, insect fragments, rodent filth, and mammalian extreta. Yummy.
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/dalbook.html#CHPTR
Posted by: amy | January 7, 2009, 8:43 am 8:43 am
Although it is common that we ingest bugs unknowingly, I don’t want to read that in my Danactive it comes with an extra dose of beetle parts. I think I just threw up in my mouth a little. I was better being left relatively in the dark regarding that.
Posted by: Icky Poo | January 7, 2009, 8:45 am 8:45 am
The problem isn’t entirely with classical “allergies.” This dye triggers my migraine headaches. I am very glad to have it clearly labeled. I’d be even happier if food items were on the shelves with and withOUT the coloring.
Posted by: Stephanie Hutchinson | January 7, 2009, 8:46 am 8:46 am
Extra_protein entertains us with: “On extremely rare occasions people working the grinders have fallen in and been mixed in with the beef.”
Uh-huh. Please provide us with a cite, a link, ANYTHING so that we can all be privy to this information.
Posted by: Aaron | January 7, 2009, 8:47 am 8:47 am
If you want to avoid carmine and other insects, look for kosher foods. Carmine is a non-kosher ingredient and you won’t find any in any kosher-certified food.
Posted by: Dave | January 7, 2009, 8:58 am 8:58 am
It’s no wonder people get cancer. The truth is that no one cares if you get cancer and no one cares to cure it. I’ll be sure to watch for this ingredient in the foods I buy.
Posted by: Mihann | January 7, 2009, 9:00 am 9:00 am
thats kinda gross and i think that its really gross but hey we need something good to
drink.
Posted by: juana | January 7, 2009, 9:00 am 9:00 am
How disgusting! I really don’t need to know this…
Posted by: rematenaj | January 7, 2009, 9:02 am 9:02 am
That’s just great for Vegans….
I understand that there is always a certain percentage of insects & bugs (rat hairs..whatever) that get into foods, but I wish they would stop adding all of these things on purpose (especially to make it look prettier).
I am so glad they decided to force companies to put this on the label. I hope it’s not Ocean Spray cranberry juice (because I love it & will have to stop drinking it after hearing this).
Not to mention the problems this can cause for people with allergies. I wish I could easily move to more of a raw food diet…I just don’t have the time!
Next…the FDA needs to make sure that firms are forced to add to their labels the use of any genetically altered ingredients!
Posted by: Rochelle | January 7, 2009, 9:17 am 9:17 am
Can someone also give a link to these stories of people falling into meat grinders…I need to know if there are companies with a track record of this problem…
Posted by: Rochelle | January 7, 2009, 9:18 am 9:18 am
Why are they just now ruling this needs to be on the labels? It even mentions the for vegitarians,Jewish people & anyone concerned with eating animal products this is important info to know already.
Posted by: mom2two08 | January 7, 2009, 9:18 am 9:18 am
Cochineal is an Beautiful color, though as stated there are problems for vegetarians, people that are allergic to it and people that practice Kosher. The main reason it is used so much now is the aversion to the artificial red and blue colors it has mostly replaced. There are even worse problems with them. And this is nothing compared to what goes into cosmetics and skin creams (human placenta etc.) So you eat some bug extract so what?
Posted by: Docd | January 7, 2009, 9:30 am 9:30 am
I’d rather not know how my Kool-aid gets its nice bright color.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 7, 2009, 9:34 am 9:34 am
Well, guess what? Now that we know this little tidbit, does everyone know that the FDA allows so many pieces of rat turds, and bugs as does tunafish? I would imagine everything that is mass-produced is the same because bugs and mice/rats are in the storage places. It’s quite disgusting.
Posted by: Jenna | January 7, 2009, 9:38 am 9:38 am
Eh, I don’t mind swallowing a few bugs every now and then, so long as they’re not scorpions, and alive.
Posted by: wolf | January 7, 2009, 9:44 am 9:44 am
Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice! Now I know where the title of that movie came from!
Posted by: rematenaj | January 7, 2009, 9:45 am 9:45 am
Red Dye # 9 or beetle juice which is worse for you? Yuck.
Posted by: Jenny Rome Ga | January 7, 2009, 9:55 am 9:55 am
ignorance is bliss
Posted by: Daryl | January 7, 2009, 9:55 am 9:55 am
Whaaaat?! This is so inhumane to the poor little insects that want nothing more than a chance at life!
We need to organize a protest. Big Color can’t get by with pulverizing beetles or their repression of females (note that only female beetles are used). They’re misogynistic and probably make their daughters wear burkas.
Down with Big Color!
Posted by: Jason | January 7, 2009, 9:58 am 9:58 am
one word: HOTDOGS
Posted by: corinne2009 | January 7, 2009, 10:04 am 10:04 am
Shopping for and eating only pure foods is time-consuming, difficult, and expensive. If you live near a good source of organic foods, you’re fortunate. Many of us have only a large chain grocery to go to. I know vegetarians who have quit eating dried figs because they have heard they contain insects. We need even more information on food labels than we’re getting now, although progress so far has been welcome.
Posted by: castelyn | January 7, 2009, 10:06 am 10:06 am
To those of you asking for a citation for examples of people falling into meat grinders: read Fast-Food Nation. There are several examples in that book.
Posted by: Amanda | January 7, 2009, 10:09 am 10:09 am
It’s amazing that people can eat a cow and then choke on a bug. LOL
Posted by: Moose | January 7, 2009, 10:33 am 10:33 am
I thought that people being ground up in meat grinders stopped after The Jungle was written. It USED to happen, but the government is much more strict when it comes to the conduct of these places (even if that DOES mean that only humans aren’t making it into our food).
I’ll believe that we’re eating feces and small rodents (not that I’m happy about it), but I refuse to believe that kind of stuff happens anymore. (In the United States anyway…that’s where The Jungle was written and the president of the time decided to do something about it.)
Posted by: T | January 7, 2009, 10:55 am 10:55 am
I agree with you Moose. What is so bad about eating bugs? We think nothing of eating cow parts, chicken parts, pig parts, fish parts, etc. What is the big deal about bugs?
Posted by: Jim | January 7, 2009, 10:56 am 10:56 am
I prefer bug parts to the artificial petroleum-derived colorings so prevalent in foods. My son is sensitive to them and becomes hyper for hours after eating anything containing Red #40, Yellow #5 or Blue #1.
Posted by: 1bluestocking | January 7, 2009, 11:05 am 11:05 am
Lobsters and Crabs are Big Bugs..
Posted by: Dave V | January 7, 2009, 11:06 am 11:06 am
GROSS!! I am a vegetarian. I have a right to know what I am eating, as does everyone.
Posted by: ScorpRedhead | January 7, 2009, 11:09 am 11:09 am
I wonder which beetle was put into my juice…..John, Paul, George or Ringo. Perhaps all four. :))
Posted by: Lisa S. | January 7, 2009, 11:23 am 11:23 am
Actually, I know of an instance when I guy was near a meat grinding line and accidently got pulled in. They throw out the meat. It does not make it to the human food chain. If you have an allergy, I can understand getting the willies about the bugs, but I would rather my red dye come from little ground up bugs (protein) than man-made chemicals.
Posted by: Catherine | January 7, 2009, 11:23 am 11:23 am
I would not want to eat bugs, rodents or anything else under any circumstance. I want to know what I am eating and what is in my food, so please let me make the choice as to what I eat and do not take that right from me. a description of all ingredients should be placed on all food labels.
Posted by: Lana | January 7, 2009, 11:26 am 11:26 am
My sister is one of the people allergic to the darned things. It makes her violently ill. No wimpy cocktails for her. No sir, vodka on the rocks please.
Posted by: Teresa | January 7, 2009, 11:30 am 11:30 am
ScorpRedhead: I try to avoid meat, etc. as much as possible, but you must realize, that there are bugs everywhere, yup, even in that head of lettuce and the whole-wheat flour you use in your baking. You eat microscopic bugs and sometimes not so microscopic bugs all the time.
Posted by: Catherine | January 7, 2009, 11:32 am 11:32 am
This is not news! Common knowledge.
Remember as a kid you drank ‘bug juice.’ You knew all along and didn’t even realize.
Posted by: Steakers | January 7, 2009, 11:43 am 11:43 am
This would also be considered “Natural” and “Organic” we should be paying more for these red bugs in our food.
Posted by: Paul | January 7, 2009, 11:45 am 11:45 am
Well, this really made my day. I drink a lot of cranberry juice, so I now have to assume that its color is partly beetle-derived. Ah, well. I’m obviously not allergic to the stuff. I can live with it.
Cochineal was used as a cosmetic for centuries. It never occurred to me that it came from insects. I thought it was a plant or mineral substance.
Posted by: Eleonora27 | January 7, 2009, 11:47 am 11:47 am
As kids, we used to call the red Kool-Aid “bug juice.” I suppose we were wise beyond our years.
Posted by: ChildhoodJuice | January 7, 2009, 12:01 pm 12:01 pm
So—, none of you have ever bitten into an apple and found half of a worm?
For that matter, how many of you have eaten an INorganic apple? If so, what was it made of, tin?
“Organic” is pretty much over once you get past the skin (rind) anyway, so if it’s an orange, lemon etc. your costly one ain’t much different then my cheapo.
Posted by: AlchyDave25 | January 7, 2009, 12:03 pm 12:03 pm
P.S. Start talking about mites and other thingies that live on and IN us and you’ll surely give up cannabalism completely!
Posted by: AlchyDave25 | January 7, 2009, 12:07 pm 12:07 pm
Wonder how many alergic people just never found out what they were alergic too.
Posted by: Dennis | January 7, 2009, 12:14 pm 12:14 pm
If I had been given the choice, I would have gladly eaten bug parts than the bug light that was found in my hamburger meat. Its the truth. Im glad I was chewing well making it crunch in my teeth before I swallowed it.
Posted by: tendergroins | January 7, 2009, 12:26 pm 12:26 pm
about how many beetls do you think we eat in juice
Posted by: jessica | January 7, 2009, 2:28 pm 2:28 pm
good question. How many beetles does it take to make beetlejuice. Anyone? lol
Posted by: tendergroins | January 7, 2009, 2:50 pm 2:50 pm
Has anyone seen the show “Fear Factor?”
Posted by: jam | January 7, 2009, 5:36 pm 5:36 pm
It is really a good news for us. I will look some where to the news.
Posted by: Mike | January 7, 2009, 11:52 pm 11:52 pm
Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!EEWW!! I didn’t want to know that.
Posted by: colista | January 8, 2009, 5:49 pm 5:49 pm
I wonder if all the heartburn is caused by this little bug.
Posted by: Jay | January 9, 2009, 5:10 am 5:10 am
I wonder if all the heartburn is caused by this little bug.
Posted by: Jay | January 9, 2009, 5:10 am 5:10 am
We are clueless as to what we are eating and what we are using on our skin, which also end up in our bodies…then we wonder about health…cancer, diabetes etc.maybe we would be safer in a third world country.
Posted by: AEW | January 10, 2009, 6:27 pm 6:27 pm
I would rather not know that I am eating beetles…But I think if it is in the product EVERYTHING needs to be listed on the labels..If you think about it that beetle is alot healthier than the chemicals they put in there.
Posted by: shannon jones | April 28, 2009, 7:16 am 7:16 am