How to eat fewer insects

Step 6 What's in other confections?

The degree to which ingredients like carmine and confectioner's glaze are integrated into things that we eat is quite surprising. Once you know what to look for, you'll start noticing them all the time.

Hopefully, you're now armed just a little bit better to protect yourself against unwittingly eating insects.

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Comments

[ichipoodle]

Actually pfp21, from what i have heard, gelatin is made from powdered cow bones and cow toenails. Correct me if i'm wrong, but i think that's what makes it wobbly...........jello anyone?

[smoke]

ichipoodle is correct, i work in a beef processing facility and we do save particular bones for the production of gelatin, also used for gel tab asprin coating.

[oskay]

According to wikipedia's entry on gelatin, modern production is primarily from "mainly pork skins, pork and cattle bones, or split cattle hides," but that horns and toenails are not commonly used. I don't imagine that most mainstream carnivores find this shocking or disturbing, but I personally think that is a bit strange that some of our desserts consist essentially of sweetened meat.

[pyro13]

wow dude... thumbs up on the instruc mate... scary thought... im gunna sue the jelly belly company and gain a little bit o $$ =D jk...but still. i would be very disturbed if eating bugs bothered me at all.

[derev]

Wikipedia entries are to be taken with a grain of salt. Since they can be edited by anyone, they are not a definitive source to be accepted without caveat.

[oskay]

Yes, we know about wikipedia. However, comments that add nothing to the conversation except nonspecific doubts should also be taken with a grain of salt. If you actually have a better reference on the subject, we're all listening.

[pfp21]

WOW. who knew? this just adds to the list of things that strict veggies won't feel comfortable eating. anyone have an instructable on gelatin in products? that's not vegetarian either, is it.

[amateurdancer]

yummy bugs are so delicious!!!!!

[KJMarino]

Honestly, i dont care... bugs are a good source of protien, and nerds, jelly beans, sprinkles all taste good regardless of whats in them.

[BobShell]

While it is true that carmine and shellac are derived from insects, both are refined and purified. The insects that produce these are the cochineal bug and lac bug respectively. Neither are beetles. They are bugs related to aphids. Bob (Entomologist)

[oskay]

I've heard the lac bug commonly referred to as the "lac beetle," and that's why I used that term. The wikipedia article on lac (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lac) does say that it's actually a scale insect. (Why didn't I see that?)

Thank you for the clarification!