Carmine / cochineal - to eat or not to eat?

1 - 5 of 5 posts

ReNe3 VIC • Posts: 52

1 11 May 2009

carmine/cochinal is used as a fabric and cosmetics dye and as a natural food colouring.

There are two principal forms of cochineal dye: cochineal extract is a colouring made from the raw dried and pulverised bodies of insects, and carmine is a more purified colouring made from the cochineal.

It takes about 155,000 insects to make one kilogram of cochineal.

read the labels people!

Rainbow Fox QLD • Posts: 91

2 11 May 2009

How do you know if it was used to dye the fabric that you are wearing>?<

ashamed

RaV3N WA • Posts: 2152

3 11 May 2009

Hmm good question Rainbow Fox. I know to stay away from any food that is coloured red, but I've never thought about red clothing....

Lucky for me I dislike red and therefore own nothing red happy

PS: Love your hat in your avatar happy

Rainbow Fox QLD • Posts: 91

4 12 May 2009

It is a marvelous hat.

Red things... I don't wear red much as it clashes with my red hair...

And I don't drink red cordial...

The Almighty Heatherzilla VIC • Posts: 70

5 12 May 2009

That is a very awesome hat.

And for those trying to avoid cochineal/carmine, not all red foods are coloured with it. There are a lot of red food colourings that are vegan.

Cochineal is listed on ingredients lists as 120 or E120.