Topic: artificial food coloring

Starbucks Strawberry Frappucinos Are Colored With Crushed Bugs, Not Fruit

Starbucks announced earlier this week that their Strawberries & Creme Frappuccino contains cochineal extract: a type of food coloring made from crushed bugs. Some think this could make the chain less appealing to vegans (although, to be fair: Frapps aren’t vegan-friendly with or without the insect-derived food coloring), and others are happy that Starbucks is using a “natural” dye. But here’s my problem with the fact that bugs are making their drinks pink: It also means they’re not really using fruit. More »

General Mills Is Getting Sued For Calling Fruit Snacks ‘Healthy’

General Mills is getting sued by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) in a class action suit for advertising their fruit snacks as ‘healthy.’ Specifically, their Fruit Roll-Ups, Fruit by the Foot, and Fruit Gushers are, according to CSPI, sold with the help of false advertising that makes it seem healthier than it is. But General Mills says they stand behind the products and their labeling. More »

The FDA Won’t Ban It, But We Will: 8 Foods You Didn’t Know Contained Food Dye

The dark side of artificial food coloring has been discussed since at least the 1970′s, with big concerns over a link between dyes and hyperactivity in kids, but only recently has the food and drug administration actually agreed to evaluate studies proving the link. While European countries have already started to ban the use of certain dyes, like blue #1, yellow #5 and 6, the FDA advisory committee ruled yesterday that there’s not enough evidence proving that they’re linked to ADHD, so they wont be banning artificial colors from foods just yet. More »