reposting: Thanks to Steven Colbert ....

[marasinghe]

.... for shining a light on these roaches (i'm not referring to the insects).

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/412740/april-17-2012/thought-for-food---bug-food-coloring--hot-dog-stuffed-crust---drugged-poultry

?".... It takes about 70,000 insects to make one pound of cochineal dye ...."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cochineal
Cochineal .... The water-soluble form is used in alcoholic drinks .... can be found in meat, sausages, processed poultry products (meat products cannot be colored in the United States unless they are labeled as such), surimi, marinades, alcoholic drinks, bakery products and toppings, cookies, desserts, icings, pie fillings, jams, preserves, gelatin desserts, juice beverages, varieties of cheddar cheese and other dairy products, sauces, and sweets. .... Cochineal extract .... (provides) the coloring of "Strawberries & Creme Frappuccino."

[underpants]

1. Starbucks de-bugs its menu offerings --st\ill using a cheaper alternative to actual strawberries.

Just weeks after the world's largest coffee chain took serious PR heat from vegan groups and public relations gurus for switching to commonly-used cochineal beetles to color its Strawberry Frappuccinos, the company's U.S. president, Cliff Burrows, now says that bugs are coming out and tomato-based extract is coming in.

"We fell short of your expectations," he said, in a statement on Thursday on the company's "My Starbucks Idea" consumer site. "We are reformulating the affected products to assure the highest quality possible."

By the end of June, he says, the company will transition to using lycopene, a natural, tomato-based extract, in its Strawberry & Creme Frappuccino blended beverage and Strawberry Banana Smoothie. It also will drop the use of cochineal extract in its Raspberry Swirl Cake, Birthday Cake Pop, Mini Donut with pink icing and Red Velvet Whoopie Pie.


http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/story/2012-04-19/starbucks-no-red-dye-drinks/54414032/1