Starbucks to stop using crushed beetles as food dye

zonbonzovi

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What a gutless move. This has been in use for centuries, is well known(except, apparently, to a few fanatics that can't read) & safer than the crap that comes out of NJ chemical additive plants. I assume the suppliers of cochineal beetle dye took a hit as well. And WHY are these people concerned with what a corporate food retailer uses in their food anyway? So much for supporting local biz. Put your money where your mouth is, patchouli warriors!
 

Thistles

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I think you're missing the point, zon. Vegans don't care if they drink it or not. They still care if animals are dying, regardless of if they're a customer or not. McDonalds is another example. Vegans may not eat there, but it will still concern them how the egg-laying hens (for example) are treated.
 

satchellwk

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This disappoints me; I found out about this too late before I had a chance to try a strawberry beetle frappachino. Also, if I'm not mistaken, this same species of beetle is what has been used for centuries by the British army to obtain the dye for their characteristic "red coats."
 

zonbonzovi

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@Thistles: No, I get that. If that were solely the case then why not protest animal products, in general, that Starbucks uses? As someone that does actually care where his food comes from I feel that this is a misguided effort in comparison with the much more deleterious food processing/sourcing that is well entrenched. My post probably makes it seem as if I have a grudge against vegans, which isn't the case. It is the sector of that particular populace that uses hard line "evangelism"(for lack of a better term) to get their viewpoint across.
 

bugmankeith

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There was also the point some people were allergic to the beetle and not knowing what was in the drink they had an allergic reaction and went to the hospital. I don't see why they need to change though only tell people the ingredient and not hide it.
 

catfishrod69

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Im glad they are no longer going to use insects, but i really dont care for the rest of it. Firstly, they shouldnt be using any dye in it, because who gives a crap what color it is, second coffee is disgusting, i would rather eat the beetles live, and third if i were to drink coffee, i sure wouldnt be drinking their $5 a cup stuff.
 

Introvertebrate

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From the movie You've Got Mail:

"The whole purpose of places like Starbucks is for people with no decision-making ability whatsoever to make six decisions just to buy one cup of coffee. Short, tall, light, dark, caf, decaf, low-fat, non-fat, etc. So people who don't know what the hell they're doing or who on earth they are can, for only $2.95, get not just a cup of coffee but an absolutely defining sense of self: Tall. Decaf. Cappuccino."
 

Galapoheros

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Man that is a little crazy to me but to each their own. It wouldn't surprise me if the real reason they switched dies is because it's cheaper to get it from tomatoes. They often spin things to sound like they are doing you a favor, yeah I'm a cynical guy haha. Sounds like they were getting that dye from the scale insect that covers itself in white and is usually found on cacti esp. in Mexico(?) I saw a show about that and how they do the collecting. That insect is a big pest to cacti. I see them a lot here in Texas, blood red if they are smashed, didn't know they used them for a dye until I saw that show.
 

myrmecophile

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I am quite sure it is just to appease the cry babies of today's society. If people actually knew just how many lbs of insects parts they consume a year they would be appalled. Very few tomatoes are actually allowed to turn red on the vine, most are picked green so they survive transport then treated so they will turn red. Ironically prepared tomato products contain some of the highest quantities of insect parts of any prepared food item out there.
 

catfishrod69

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I agree, most likely because its cheaper.
Man that is a little crazy to me but to each their own. It wouldn't surprise me if the real reason they switched dies is because it's cheaper to get it from tomatoes. They often spin things to sound like they are doing you a favor, yeah I'm a cynical guy haha. Sounds like they were getting that dye from the scale insect that covers itself in white and is usually found on cacti esp. in Mexico(?) I saw a show about that and how they do the collecting. That insect is a big pest to cacti. I see them a lot here in Texas, blood red if they are smashed, didn't know they used them for a dye until I saw that show.
 

Camden

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I don't know why people are so surprised at this, most drinks that are red, have these red beetles in it.
 

grayzone

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who the hell drinks starbucks anyway... Im from the seattle area and STILL wont touch the stuff... Way too overpriced, and poor tasting. The ONLY thing half tolerable is the way too sweet frappuccinos you can get at circle k IMO
 

sjl197

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i care neither way, but i do care that on an invert forum everyone keeps calling them beetles. Theyre not, they're scale insects !!! not too far from aphids, kissing bugs and shield bugs.... very very very much not beetles.

thanks.
 

Galapoheros

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Yeah the beetle thing, it's weird, they are more like giant white crusted aphids, true bugs. I get it grayzone, it's an almost daily Rockstar for me, orig.
 

gromgrom

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The people that caused this change need a new hobby or need to get a life. Who cares.
 

Obelisk

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I didn't know they used beetles for that... pretty cool I think. It's absurd for them to stop using them. We should be going in the direction of using more insects for preparing food, not the other way around!
 

bugmankeith

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For the record it is not a beetle, it is a scale insect.
I knew that, im just going by what they said. Most people dont know where natural food coloring came from. Thats why some people have allergies to food dye its the insect somehow makes asthma attacks in allergic people probably from the insects exoskeleton.
 

Thistles

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@Thistles: No, I get that. If that were solely the case then why not protest animal products, in general, that Starbucks uses? As someone that does actually care where his food comes from I feel that this is a misguided effort in comparison with the much more deleterious food processing/sourcing that is well entrenched. My post probably makes it seem as if I have a grudge against vegans, which isn't the case. It is the sector of that particular populace that uses hard line "evangelism"(for lack of a better term) to get their viewpoint across.
Many of them do protest all animal products. This is just a great example of one that is even more unnecessary than all the others. If people want eggs, they want eggs and not egg substitutes. If they want whole milk, they don't want soy milk. Bacon for bacon etc. If they want a strawberry drink, they don't necessarily want strawberry with bugjuice! This is just something that has alternatives, and it is also sneaky! If you're eating an egg, you know it. If you're drinking a coffee, you may not realize you're also drinking bugs!
 
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