“I dare you to eat that bug!” As a kid, you may have heard this expression at least once. However, what would you say if you found out you actually have?
Today, many of our foods are made from insects. After drying and boiling or simply grinding up bugs, you get a nice red color. The red dye in those M&M’s or those Skittles is probably listed as “carmine” in the ingredients. It can also be found in ice cream and even yoghurt. Cochineal is another thing to look out for. It, like carmine, is a red dye obtained from bugs, but basically just under a different name.
It doesn’t just stop at red, though. A female lac bug’s secretions, or shellac, is liquefied and turned into a coating for such candies as Junior Mints (though M&M’s is one exception). Many of the friendly coated “Easter Egg” chocolates or jelly beans also use this. On the ingredients list, it is probably listed as either “resinous glaze” or “confectioner’s glaze”. It’s what helps to give it the glossy sheen that makes it look more appealing to the eye. As shellac is used to help make furniture more attractive, why not candy?
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