An online petition is encouraging Starbucks to remove cochineal extract, a coloring agent, from its Strawberries & Crème Frappuccino and Strawberry Smoothies.
Why? Cochineal extract, which gives those drinks its red color, is made from bugs
The petition says the red dye is made from dried female cochineal insects and cites reports that there are 70,000 bugs in every 1 pound of the red dye.
Starbucks’ response appears to be . . . at least its not an artificial ingredient!
“At Starbucks, we strive to carry products that meet a variety of dietary lifestyles and needs,” the company said in a statement. “We also have the goal to minimize artificial ingredients in our products. While the strawberry base isn’t a vegan product, it helps us move away from artificial dyes.”
If you want Starbucks to kick the bugs out of its drinks, you’ll find the petition here.
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2 Responses to Are There Bugs In Your Strawberry Drinks At Starbucks?
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Ye gods, the vile stuff is everywhere!
http://www.komonews.com/news/consumer/Starbucks-bug-extract-in-more–144755465.html
Whatever – Carmine, Cochineal extract, Crimson Lake; goes by a bunch of different names – it’s in many products – yogurts, lipsticks, ice cream, etc. To be completely honest, I’d rather eat dried crushed insect thorax than most of the artificial flavoring they’re putting in stuff these days – it doesn’t bother me.