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TagsBY ANGELA DAIDONE
NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
Starbucks has drawn some flak some vegetarians for using a food coloring made from crushed bugs in several of its products, MSNBC reported.
The coffee giant recently started using cochineal extract, which is made from crushed insects, as a food dye in pink or red products, including its Strawberries and Creme Frappuccinos and red velvet whoopee pies, the report stated.
A Starbucks spokesman said that the company chose cochineal extract in response to customers' request for more natural ingredients. The red coloring is also used in yogurts, fruit juices and other products, the company said.
The ingredient change cawas noticed by a vegan barista, who sent a copy of the ingredient list to a website called This Dish is Veg, which in turn prompted an advocacy social network, Change.org, to put out a petition for the elimination of the product. As of Wednesday, about 800 people signed the petition, the report stated.
The incident was first reported in the Seattle Times.
