Bugs in Your Food (BeetleJuice Ice Cream)

Bugs in Your Food (BeetleJuice Ice Cream)

As it turns out, there really may be a bug in your soup.

The Food and Drug Administration has finalized a rule that will require food companies to list cochineal extract and carmine on the label when they are used in food and cosmetics. But the new rule contains one glaring omission. It doesn’t require companies to tell you that the ingredients come from a bug.

Cochineal extract and carmine, used to dye food, drinks and cosmetics various shades of red, orange, pink and purple, are extracted from the dried bodies of the female cochineal bug.

The F.D.A. typically doesn’t require color additives to be named on food labels. For years, the bug extracts “have been hidden under the terms ‘artificial colors’ or ‘color added,’ ” according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest. The group says the extracts are commonly used in reddish-colored foods and beverages, including fruit drinks, ice creams, yogurts and candies.

However, the F.D.A. required the ingredients be listed after University of Michigan allergist Dr. James L. Baldwin reported that some of his patients suffered severe allergic reactions to the bug extracts. After C.S.P.I. petitioned the F.D.A. in 1998, the group also received several dozen adverse-reaction reports from consumers.

In a statement, the group criticized the ruling, noting that labels should make it clear that the extracts come from bugs. They argue that people with allergies who want to avoid the foods for health reasons are well aware of what the ingredients are made from. But vegetarians and people of certain religious faiths who would typically avoid a bug-based product may not be aware of the origins of the extracts without more disclosure on the food label.

Abbott Labs:

Ensure Plus;
Strawberry


Campbell Soup Co.:

V8 Splash;
Strawberry Kiwi


Coca-Cola:

Baacardi Mixers;
Strawberry Daiquiri
Hi-C;
Boppin Berry
Fruit Punch
Minute Maid;
Orange Soda


Dr. Pepper / Seven Up:

Schweppes;
Grape Diet Ginger Ale
Grape Ginger Ale
Raspberry Diet Ginger Ale
Raspberry Ginger Ale
Sunkist;
Orange Soda


Gatorade:

Gatorade;
Fierce Grape
Fierce Berry
Frost Riptide Rush
Fruit Punch
Passion Fruit
The Edge Fruit Punch


Hawaiian Punch:

Hawaiian Punch;
Fruit Punch


Kraft Foods:

Country Time;
Pink Lemonade mix
Crystal Light;
Raspberry Ice drink
Ice Tea mix
Pink Lemonade mix
Rasberry Ice mix
Kool-Aid mix;
Mega Moutain Cherry Berry
Sugar Sweet Grape
Sugar Sweet Slammin Strawberry Kiwi
Sugar Sweet Tropical Punch
Tang;
Berry Panic
Fruit Frenzy


Lipton:

Lipton;
Brisk Iced Tea


Nestle:

Nestle Quick;
Strawberry


Ocean Spray:

Ruby Red;
Grapefruit Juice
Grapefruit & Tangerine Juice


Pepsi:

FruitWorks;
Apple Raspberry
Peach Papaya
Pink Lemonade
Strawberry Melon
Tangerine Citrus
Mountain Dew;
Code Red
Diet Code Red
Pepsi;
Pepsi Blue
Tropicana Twister;
Orange/Cranberry

Archway:

Archway Cookies;
Raspberry filled

Breyers:

Popsicle brand;
Firecracker pops
Orange, Grape Cherry bars
Scribblers
Sugar Free pops

Eskimo Pie:

Welch's Frozen Fruit Juice bars;
assorted flavors

Frito-Lay:

Doritos;
Nacho Cheese
Cooler Ranch
Doritos 3-D;
Nacho Cheese
Fritos Go Snacks;
Fritos Hoops

General Mills:

Betty Crocker Disney Princess
Fruit Snacks
Betty Crocker Fruit Gushers;
Fruitomic Punch
Hawaiian Punch
Lemonade
Strawberry Splash
Tropical
Watermelon
Betty Crocker Fruit Shapes;
Buzz Lightyear
Scooby-Doo!
Betty Crocker Pokemon Rolls;
Fruit Snacks
Betty Crocker Shark Bites;
Fruit Snacks

Betty Crocker Winnie the Pooh;
Fruit Snacks
Betty Crocker Fruit by the Foot;
Berry
Rainbow Punch
Strawberry
Watermelon
Pillsbury Toaster Strudel;
Raspberry
Strawberry

Gray & Company:

Cherryman;
Maraschino cherries
Queen Anne;
Chocolate covered cherries

Hershey:

Hershey's Syrup;
Strawberry
Hershey's Lite Syrup;
Chocolate

Interstate Brands:

Hostess Twinkies;
snack cakes

Jel Sert:

Otter Pops;
snack bars
Fla Vor Ice Freeze;
fruit bars

Kelloggs:

Nutri-Grain cereal bar;
mixed berry
raspberry
strawberry
Nutri-Grain Minis cereal bar;
strawberry
Nutri-Grain Twists cereal bar;
strawberry cheesecake

Nutri-Grain yogurt bars;
strawberry
Pop-Tarts;
chocolate chip
frosted blueberry
frosted smores
frosted strawberry
smores
strawberry

Kraft Foods:
Jello Snack Cups;
Strawberry Orange
Raspberry Orange Sugar Free

Strawberry Sugar Free:
Strawberry Kiwi Sugar Free
Jello Gelatin mix;
Black Cherry
Cherry
Cranberry
Cranberry-Raspberry
Grape
Mango

Mixed Fruit
Orange
Peach
Raspberry
Sparkling Mandarin Orange
Strawberry
Strawberry Banana
Strawberry Kiwi
Watermelon
Wild Strawberry
Jello Sugar Free Gelatin mix;
Cherry
Cranberry
Mixed Fruit
Orange
Raspberry

Sparkling Mandarin Orange;
Sparkling Wild Berry
Strawberry
Strawberry Banana
Strawberry Kiwi
Jello Instant Pudding;
Chocolate

Jello Sugar Free Fat Free Instant Pudding;
Chocolate
Chocolate Fudge
Jello Sugar Free Fat Free Pudding;
Chocolate
Jello X-treme Gel sticks;
Strawberry, Blueberry, Raspberry
Kool-Aid Kool Pops;
Freezer bars
Philly Snack Bars;
Strawberry Cheescake

Nabisco:
Comet (ice cream cones);
rainbow cups
Fruit Snacks;
Blues Clues
Rugrats Double Berry
Newtons fat free cookies;
Raspberry
Strawberry
Planters;
Cheez Balls

M&M Mars:
Combos Cracker Snacks;
Pepperoni Pizza
Combos Pretzel Snacks;
Pizzeria Pretzel
M&M's;
Ice Cream Cones

McKee Foods:
Little Debbie;
Fudge Brownies
Swiss Cake Rolls

Mott's:
Motts Frutsation Applesauce;
Strawberry

Quaker:
Frosted Fruit Oatmeal Bar;
raspberry
Fruit & Oatmeal Bars;
strawberry
strawberry cheesecake

Fruit & Oatmeal Bites;
strawberry
very berry
Chewy Granola Bars;
flavor variety pack

Smuckers:
Fat Free Topping;
caramel