The Surprising Insect Behind Your Food’s Red Color

🐞 Did you know some of the red color in your food can come from an insect?

That bright red or pink color in certain yogurts, candies, jams, and snack foods may come from carmine, a food coloring made from cochineal insects.

Here’s how it works: cochineal insects are dried and pulverized, and their coloring compounds are used to produce carmine. The resulting color is a strong red that can be used in food products.

Carmine is also known as cochineal extract and is identified as E120 in the European Union and other labeling systems.

And here's an important fact: although carmine comes from a natural source, it is not plant-based and is not vegan, because its source is an insect.

So the next time you see a vivid red food, check the ingredient list. 👀

Sometimes, the story behind a color is more surprising than the food itself. 🐞🔴