Comments on: Center For Science in the Public Interest: Taxonomy FAIL http://membracid.wordpress.com/2009/01/06/center-for-science-in-the-public-interest-taxonomy-fail/ Entomology. Gardening. Ranting. Nerdery. Sun, 03 Jan 2010 22:45:31 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Sili http://membracid.wordpress.com/2009/01/06/center-for-science-in-the-public-interest-taxonomy-fail/#comment-20079 Sili Wed, 14 Jan 2009 21:31:40 +0000 http://membracid.wordpress.com/?p=2466#comment-20079 Amusing. Aren't these the same people who're all cooky about all things 'natural'. I'm sure some of their 'detoxes' and whatnot are considered awesome and exotic by virtue of having odd stuff in them. :shakes head: Of course, <a href="http://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Röd_pölse" rel="nofollow">being Danish, I've known about cochinea for years</a>. (Here via Ben Goldacre.) Amusing. Aren’t these the same people who’re all cooky about all things ‘natural’.

I’m sure some of their ‘detoxes’ and whatnot are considered awesome and exotic by virtue of having odd stuff in them. :shakes head:

Of course, being Danish, I’ve known about cochinea for years. (Here via Ben Goldacre.)

]]> By: Breaking FAIL news: Scientific American « Bug Girl’s Blog http://membracid.wordpress.com/2009/01/06/center-for-science-in-the-public-interest-taxonomy-fail/#comment-20002 Breaking FAIL news: Scientific American « Bug Girl’s Blog Sat, 10 Jan 2009 01:59:24 +0000 http://membracid.wordpress.com/?p=2466#comment-20002 [...] CSPI writes an alarmist press release about cochineal, which suggests not only are there insects in your food, but dangerous insects!  [...] [...] CSPI writes an alarmist press release about cochineal, which suggests not only are there insects in your food, but dangerous insects!  [...]

]]> By: eric http://membracid.wordpress.com/2009/01/06/center-for-science-in-the-public-interest-taxonomy-fail/#comment-20001 eric Sat, 10 Jan 2009 01:30:18 +0000 http://membracid.wordpress.com/?p=2466#comment-20001 Ok, the original bits were bad enough, but SciAm picks it up and does no fact check at all? Shame! Do people realize how many dyes and coloring agents come from invertebrates? I love dyeing with cochineal it is a wonderful dye. (Which is why it was also the source of much conflict and intrigue during colonial periods) I say label on, but if you're going to require it to be labeled as "bug" or "insect" then I want all the coal tar derived colorants and agents labeled as "tar". Fair is fair. Now I must return to enjoy the cochineal in my stew...(from three separate sources even!!) Ok, the original bits were bad enough, but SciAm picks it up and does no fact check at all?
Shame!

Do people realize how many dyes and coloring agents come from invertebrates? I love dyeing with cochineal it is a wonderful dye. (Which is why it was also the source of much conflict and intrigue during colonial periods) I say label on, but if you’re going to require it to be labeled as “bug” or “insect” then I want all the coal tar derived colorants and agents labeled as “tar”. Fair is fair.

Now I must return to enjoy the cochineal in my stew…(from three separate sources even!!)

]]> By: Bug Girl http://membracid.wordpress.com/2009/01/06/center-for-science-in-the-public-interest-taxonomy-fail/#comment-20000 Bug Girl Sat, 10 Jan 2009 00:47:14 +0000 http://membracid.wordpress.com/?p=2466#comment-20000 OMG. That is just awful. They completely reproduced the news release without any fact checking at all. SHAME!! SHAME!!! Also, I saved screenshots :D http://www.flickr.com/photos/bug_girl/3182896941/ OMG. That is just awful.
They completely reproduced the news release without any fact checking at all.

SHAME!! SHAME!!!

Also, I saved screenshots :D

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bug_girl/3182896941/

]]> By: David http://membracid.wordpress.com/2009/01/06/center-for-science-in-the-public-interest-taxonomy-fail/#comment-19998 David Fri, 09 Jan 2009 18:39:53 +0000 http://membracid.wordpress.com/?p=2466#comment-19998 A version is now up on the Scientific American site, of all places--with the scarab photo. What's worse, the SciAm author, Lisa Stein, actually states that cochineal comes from beetles! http://www.sciam.com/blog/60-second-science/post.cfm?id=beetle-juice-is-your-food-bugged-2009-01-09 A version is now up on the Scientific American site, of all places–with the scarab photo. What’s worse, the SciAm author, Lisa Stein, actually states that cochineal comes from beetles!

http://www.sciam.com/blog/60-second-science/post.cfm?id=beetle-juice-is-your-food-bugged-2009-01-09

]]> By: buzzybeegirl http://membracid.wordpress.com/2009/01/06/center-for-science-in-the-public-interest-taxonomy-fail/#comment-19996 buzzybeegirl Fri, 09 Jan 2009 04:37:22 +0000 http://membracid.wordpress.com/?p=2466#comment-19996 Sorry Bug Girl, I meant Red Dye #2...not 9. Sorry Bug Girl, I meant Red Dye #2…not 9.

]]> By: buzzybeegirl http://membracid.wordpress.com/2009/01/06/center-for-science-in-the-public-interest-taxonomy-fail/#comment-19995 buzzybeegirl Fri, 09 Jan 2009 04:31:22 +0000 http://membracid.wordpress.com/?p=2466#comment-19995 Wow, I can't believe people are still freaked out about this. Do they know how many insects they eat when they use foods like ketchup? And you are so right Bug Girl. I would rather eat an insect which is actually healthy versus Red Dye #9. What the hell is in that? Nothing that would be good for your body I guarantee it. Wow, I can’t believe people are still freaked out about this. Do they know how many insects they eat when they use foods like ketchup? And you are so right Bug Girl. I would rather eat an insect which is actually healthy versus Red Dye #9. What the hell is in that? Nothing that would be good for your body I guarantee it.

]]> By: Bug Girl http://membracid.wordpress.com/2009/01/06/center-for-science-in-the-public-interest-taxonomy-fail/#comment-19993 Bug Girl Thu, 08 Jan 2009 20:06:54 +0000 http://membracid.wordpress.com/?p=2466#comment-19993 Unless, of course, *I* was buying it. Unless, of course, *I* was buying it.

]]> By: Michael http://membracid.wordpress.com/2009/01/06/center-for-science-in-the-public-interest-taxonomy-fail/#comment-19991 Michael Thu, 08 Jan 2009 19:02:29 +0000 http://membracid.wordpress.com/?p=2466#comment-19991 Lorin, if your concern is that you're a vegan you'll probably want to also identify foods containing shellac. Shellac is made from another scale insect, the "lac bug", and almost certainly contains crushed insect parts. Most of us think of shellac as a finish for wood, but it's also used to put a shine on fruit, candy, and pills even though that doesn't seem to get mentioned on the labels. Somehow I don't think a sign in the grocery store saying "These apples were polished with squashed bugs" would increase sales. Lorin, if your concern is that you’re a vegan you’ll probably want to also identify foods containing shellac. Shellac is made from another scale insect, the “lac bug”, and almost certainly contains crushed insect parts. Most of us think of shellac as a finish for wood, but it’s also used to put a shine on fruit, candy, and pills even though that doesn’t seem to get mentioned on the labels. Somehow I don’t think a sign in the grocery store saying “These apples were polished with squashed bugs” would increase sales.

]]> By: Bug Girl http://membracid.wordpress.com/2009/01/06/center-for-science-in-the-public-interest-taxonomy-fail/#comment-19969 Bug Girl Thu, 08 Jan 2009 02:18:08 +0000 http://membracid.wordpress.com/?p=2466#comment-19969 There isn't a big list because it's used differently by different companies. Also, some companies have stopped using cochineal so they can claim to be vegan. The usual places you find it are: lipstick pink juices or juice drinks yogurt (with reddish flavors) Most pinkish foods, especially if they are liquid, may have cochineal. IMHO, it's a feature, not a bug :D There isn’t a big list because it’s used differently by different companies. Also, some companies have stopped using cochineal so they can claim to be vegan.

The usual places you find it are:

lipstick
pink juices or juice drinks
yogurt (with reddish flavors)

Most pinkish foods, especially if they are liquid, may have cochineal.

IMHO, it’s a feature, not a bug :D

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