Scared of food.?

Question

Ok guys im like scared of food now unless i know whats in it. I just read that carmine is crushed up red beetles and they are found in many foods. I love skittles and i heard they were found in them too!! Does anyone know what other foods this is found in?? is it found in M&M's?? omg gross.

Answer 1

Entry level bug eating

Answer 2

This dye is indeed made out of bugs, below is a description of how the dye is made. This die is in most foods, actually that contain any red coloring, because most people are not allergic to it. However it has been known to cause anaphylactic shock reactions in some people.


A deep crimson dye is extracted from the female cochineal insects. Cochineal is used to produce scarlet, orange and other red tints. The colouring comes from carminic acid. Cochineal extract's natural carminic-acid content is usually 19–22%.[5] The insects are killed by immersion in hot water (after which they are dried) or by exposure to sunlight, steam, or the heat of an oven. Each method produces a different colour which results in the varied appearance of commercial cochineal. The insects must be dried to about 30 percent of their original body weight before they can be stored without decaying.[10] It takes about 155,000 insects to make one kilogram of cochineal.

There are two principal forms of cochineal dye: cochineal extract is a colouring made from the raw dried and pulverised bodies of insects, and carmine is a more purified colouring made from the cochineal. To prepare carmine, the powdered insect bodies are boiled in ammonia or a sodium carbonate solution, the insoluble matter is removed by filtering, and alum is added to the clear salt solution of carminic acid to precipitate the red aluminium salt. Purity of colour is ensured by the absence of iron. Stannous chloride, citric acid, borax, or gelatin may be added to regulate the formation of the precipitate. For shades of purple, lime is added to the alum.[2

Answer 3

Carmine is a red dye. So if the food isn't red, it probably doesn't have carmine in it. Read the ingredients label. Check for cosmetics, too, since it can be used there.

Answer 4

OMG I did not know this yes that is soo gross

Answer 5

Time to switch your diet to REAL foods. Try fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, etc. When you fix it - you will know what is in it!