Fri, Mar-26-04, 11:55
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Registered Member
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Plan: Atkins
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Location: Dallas, TX, USA
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Angeline
When asked why he told me that some of the dye used on popcorn are sometimes made with crushed insects and he didn't want to take a chance.
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He was probably afraid of "Cochineal":
\Coch"i*neal\ ...
A dyestuff consisting of the dried bodies of females of the
{Coccus cacti}, an insect native in Mexico, Central America,
etc., and found on several species of cactus, esp. {Opuntia
cochinellifera}.
Note: These insects are gathered from the plant, killed by
the application of heat, and exposed to the sun to dry.
When dried they resemble small, rough berries or seeds,
of a brown or purple color, and form the cochineal of
the shops, which is used for making carmine, and also
as a red dye.
Note: Cochineal contains as its essential coloring matter
carminic acid, a purple red amorphous substance which
yields carmine red.
http://www.hyperdictionary.com/dictionary/cochineal |