Animal-based Food Horrors

A Civet at work processing coffee beans through its digestive tract

Indonesia produces a premium coffee known as Kopi Luwak or Kopi Luak, which means "coffee luak." The luak, or palm civet*, is a small mammal native to the islands of Indonesia that has a particular fondness for the fruit of the coffee plant. The beans pass through its system undigested (rather like chewing gum) and are deposited in its droppings. This process leaves the beans slightly fermented, which apparently adds to the richness of the resulting coffee. While the task of collecting the beans may be rather unpleasant, the fact that they can fetch $75 per quarter pound probably more than makes up for it.















Cochineal insects trying to hide from food dye manufacturers

Many food items, including fruit juices, candies, and flavored gelatin, contain cochineal*, carmine, or carminic acid to give them a deep red color. These pigments are derived from the shells of the female Dactylopius coccus--or cochineal insect*--which is found in South and Central America. The dye has been used for centuries and dates back to the Aztecs. It is safer than most synthetic red dyes, apart from the rare allergic reaction.

This is according to Encarta. The site where I got the picture from had this to say:

Carmine and cochineal extract, red food colorings made from the dried bodies of the cochineal insect, is used to color various yogurts, fruit flavored drinks, candies, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and other products. Food manufacturers are not required to disclose that carmine is derived from insects but merely to describe it as “color added” or “artificial color.” Not only is that labeling unfair to people who adhere to kosher or vegetarian diets, but it can cause sometimes-severe allergic reactions. The typical symptoms included itching, swelling of the eyes or tongue, potentially fatal difficulty breathing, hives, and headaches. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is considering a rule that would require disclosure of carmine or cochineal on food labels. That is an improvement over the status quo, but without an outright ban many people will continue to suffer allergic reactions not knowing the cause. Please urge the FDA to ban the colorings—or at the very least require manufacturers to disclose that the colorings are made from insects and may cause allergic reactions. A cosmetic food coloring that sends hundreds of people to emergency rooms should not be tolerated. Maybe food companies that want to make strawberry or cherry yogurt a brighter shade of red, should just add more strawberries or cherries instead of resorting to insect juice. Please send a letter to the FDA. And consider adding some of your own words to the letter.

Your parrot would probably like eating the red food dye bugs. But specialty foods from Windy City Parrot would be better for them!