Red Food Dye

[Pembroke]

I think that this was probably mentioned before, but It's something I have to know.....

There is a red food dye that is made from some sort of insect...... I think it's a breed of beatle (way off?) that is ground up. Anyways, I know that it is used in some juinces, and I'm sure it's in some candies. Does anyone know how to identify it on ingrediant lables?

One of my friends bought some twizlers a while back. While we were watching tv, he threw a half-eaten piece at me and told me to eat it (they never see me eat, cause they have nothing I can eat, lol). Well..... On the lable it says it has "Red food dye #40". Is this the dye made from insects? I really hope not....... it's in swedish fish candies, too, and they are one of the few chewy candies that don't use gelatin!!!!

The more you learn, the harder things get, heh heh. I just read the post about sugar. Damn. One of these days I'm gonna actually stick to a raw food diet. When I move out and buy my own food things will be easier?

[ConsciousCuisine]

Red dyes are often made up of the female insect "cohineal". It may say "carmine" or "carminic acid" or "cohineal extract" or just red dye! They crush and grind the insects up to make things like slurpee dye, flamin' hot cheetos and makeups like lipsticks! Yummy!

[gertvegan]

See http://www.veganforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=220&highlight=food+colouring

[JaredM]

Oh no I hope that stuff isnt in sweedish fish. I was so happy to learn that was vegan because its my favorite candy.

[ConsciousCuisine]

They are not vegan for multiple reasons...Sorry!

INGREDIENTS:

Sugar
Corn Syrup
Modified Corn Starch
Artificial Flavors
Mineral Oil
Carnuba Wax
Colored with FD&C Red #40

[JaredM]

I am a newbie vegetarian, how arent they vegan the carnuba wax?

[Pembroke]

why, why, WHY!!!!!

Bye bye swedish fish....... I'll miss you. Now I'm pissed that I've been eating them, thinking that they were vegan :mad: !!!!! RRRGH!

That makes me really mad!! Why'd I eat them!

[ConsciousCuisine]

The sugar is not "Vegan" and there are other reasons this is a scary candy. If you really want to know, I'll tell you why :)
You can read a bit for yourself about carnauba wax: How long does wax last? (http://www.properautocare.com/howlondoeswa.html)

[Pembroke]

x_x

Okay, I'm not missing sedish fish anymore.......


[edit] :
90 days!!!! BWAH!!!!

[JaredM]

so how do you know if sugar is vegan. i know it has bone char in it. will it say "vegan sugar" and is there any vegan candy that is name brand.

[SidewaysCuttingLawnLaser]

Sugar is good. It's vegan. And it feeds cattle. I have nothing but love for sugar! http://www.sucrose.com/lref.html

[ConsciousCuisine]

Certified Organic Suagr is Vegan. Also, some candies do have the "V" for Vegan seal.

[eve]

Where I live in Australia, bone char was dropped ages ago!

[ConsciousCuisine]

That's great, Eve! Makes things easier, I am sure. But then again, I trust you don't eat many things with sugar added or sugar for that matter... :)

I posted what I did about suagr in response to the question about Swedish Fish, which are not vegan... the sugar info. applies to the US of A.

[Haniska]

I have an allergy to Red #40, makes me break out in painful pimples.

[speedylemons]

Has anyone ever heard that red #40 makes you gain weight? I swear i've heard that somewhere..

[Haniska]

I haven't heard that it makes you gain weight persay. However, I have heard many times that your body will produce fat to store toxins that it cannot deal with at this time because it is just overloaded.

[supermikeydee]

So I realize this post was done a long time ago- I was doing a little research on this myself- and stumbled across the wikipedia page for Red#40 (Allura Red AC is a red azo dye that goes by several names including: Allura Red, Food Red 17, C.I. 16035, FD&C Red 40)

"Red AC was originally manufactured from coal tar but is now mostly made from petroleum. Despite the popular misconception, Allura Red AC is not derived from any insect, unlike the food colouring carmine which is derived from the female cochineal insect."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_40

Just thought this might please/displease some people- however, this does mention it's really not good for you - so- still not recommended!