Clipping Board » Illness Enters through Mouth ─ The information that has been made public is often just the tip of the iceberg...
ET News / ET News 2011-06-21
Vegetarians, did you happen to use strawberry jam for breakfast today? And did you carefully check the ingredients to confirm it’s truly vegetarian? Some consumers have discovered that certain strawberry jams on the market contain a natural coloring called "carmine" to achieve a bright red hue without using artificial synthetic dyes. However, this carmine is actually made by crushing and grinding large quantities of cochineal insects!
For vegetarians, the strawberry jam they might spread on toast to fill their stomachs—could it actually be non-vegetarian? Some strawberry jams really are non-vegetarian. At first glance, it’s hard to imagine where the meat could be in strawberry jam, but look closely—the issue lies in the natural carmine listed in the ingredients. Carmine is produced by crushing and grinding cochineal insects. These insects, which appear snow-white, actually live on cacti and are native to the Americas before being introduced to other regions.
Because their bodily fluids resemble fresh blood, they are crushed and used as a natural coloring. Whether in meats, beverages, cookies, or jams, carmine is widely applied. If a vegetarian’s sandwich or dessert happens to use jam containing natural carmine, it’s equivalent to accidentally breaking their dietary restrictions.
Strawberry jam might be non-vegetarian. For instance, brands like Knorr emphasize that their packaging doesn’t specifically label the product as vegetarian. The use of natural carmine was originally intended to promote health by avoiding artificial dyes, though future formulations may change. Upon closer inspection, not all strawberry jams on the market use insect-derived coloring. However, the shift from vegetarian to non-vegetarian jam can easily catch consumers off guard if they don’t pay attention.
Source: http://n. yam. com/ ebcnews/ life/ 201106/ 20110621375836. html
Strawberry Jam Contains 'Carmine' from Ground Insects
Vegetarians, did you happen to use strawberry jam for breakfast today? And did you carefully check the ingredients to confirm it’s truly vegetarian? Some consumers have discovered that certain strawberry jams on the market contain a natural coloring called "carmine" to achieve a bright red hue without using artificial synthetic dyes. However, this carmine is actually made by crushing and grinding large quantities of cochineal insects!
For vegetarians, the strawberry jam they might spread on toast to fill their stomachs—could it actually be non-vegetarian? Some strawberry jams really are non-vegetarian. At first glance, it’s hard to imagine where the meat could be in strawberry jam, but look closely—the issue lies in the natural carmine listed in the ingredients. Carmine is produced by crushing and grinding cochineal insects. These insects, which appear snow-white, actually live on cacti and are native to the Americas before being introduced to other regions.
Because their bodily fluids resemble fresh blood, they are crushed and used as a natural coloring. Whether in meats, beverages, cookies, or jams, carmine is widely applied. If a vegetarian’s sandwich or dessert happens to use jam containing natural carmine, it’s equivalent to accidentally breaking their dietary restrictions.
Strawberry jam might be non-vegetarian. For instance, brands like Knorr emphasize that their packaging doesn’t specifically label the product as vegetarian. The use of natural carmine was originally intended to promote health by avoiding artificial dyes, though future formulations may change. Upon closer inspection, not all strawberry jams on the market use insect-derived coloring. However, the shift from vegetarian to non-vegetarian jam can easily catch consumers off guard if they don’t pay attention.
Source: http://n. yam. com/ ebcnews/ life/ 201106/ 20110621375836. html