Rogue vegan barista outs Starbucks for using ground-up bugs as a red dye
Strict vegans and others who prefer not to eat ground-up insects were upset to learn that a sauce used in certain Starbucks drinks contains, well, ground-up insects. The Seattle Times reports that Starbucks Strawberries and Crème Frappuccinos are made with a sauce that contains cochineal extract, “made from the bodies of ground-up insects indigenous to Latin America.” The paper broke the bad news after a vegan barista did the passive-aggressive right thing and sent the sauce’s ingredient list to a vegetarian blog. The extract is used in other Starbucks products, including their “red velvet whoopie pie.” And it’s not just vegans who are upset. The Center for Science in the Public Interest thinks that, at the very least, companies should have to disclose that their products contain insect derivatives—if the FDA isn’t going to nix the colorants altogether. But how could Starbucks achieve that lovely red hue without the bodies of insects, you ask? How about something like vegan-friendly beet juice? Or, um, strawberries? Read the entire story [Seattle Times] »
yummy, gonna grab one right now.
Good to know – being a vegan. I am most definately going to email starbucks on this matter. Gross.
you don’t need to be a vegan to have an issue with GROUND UP BUGS in your beverage. anyone with a brain would have issue with this. GROSS!
If you’re not a vegan, why would you have a problem with this? Bugs are natural and eaten by many cultures all over the world. I’d certainly rather have ground up bugs used to colour food than some weird carcinogen (though I’d bet this bug paste isn’t actually au naturel).
This is absolutely gross. I’m outraged as a vegetarian, but that’s beside the point. People should know when they’re eating/drinking bugs. What about allergy concerns? There should be a class action suit.
Far be it from me to rain on your sanctimonious parade Hellsbells et al!, but as vegans wouldn’t you be more grossed out by the fact that you’ve been drinking a beverage whose primary ingredient is you know, milk?
Vegans upset about eating bugs! Vegans eat fruit,vegetables and grains which are full of bugs.Bugs, bug poop, bug unmentionables byproducts. Bugs live in plants! Plants are littered with bugs and bug parts. Organic farming means you use one kind of bug to control another bug. And when organically grown plants get past ripe, the larvae start to grow.
Vegans are such hypocrites.
mmmmmm, red slime!
@ Patrick re: Class Action, one question: what harm was caused?
What most of you don’t know is this dye (otherwise known as E120) is in almost everything red you eat (including pills), wear (commonly used to dye woolens and silk) or put on your face (make-up). This ain’t news folks.
Silly vegans. I’m sure they could use the protein.
In the near future when everything goes to shit, I’m gonna eat Vegans boooohahahahahah
if you’re a vegan, why would you be having a drink with milk/cream in it. just sayin.
When the zombie apocalypse begins vegans will be the first to go, nothing pisses me off more than ignorant vegans. Do you know how many animal/bug derivative products are in your so called vegan-friendly food. Silly vegans, tricks are for kids!!
That Guy is exactly right. Way to be sensationalistic.