Chriz
2004-11-01 00:43:41 UTC
THERE are green ones, yellow ones and even blue ones. But how many
beetle-coloured Smarties have you tried? Red Smarties get their bright
colour from a dye made from dried and crushed insects.
And while that information may make the most devoted fan a little
squeamish, it has left vegetarians with a particularly bad taste in
their mouths. They claimed Nestle, which makes the candy-coated
chocolate buttons, should consider an alternative for those unwilling
to indulge in animal by-products.
The red dye used to colour Smarties is processed by crushing dried
female cochineal insects, which are collected in central America.
It results in the colourant cochineal, otherwise known as carmine or
E120.
Smarties weren't the only favourites expected to be crossed off strict
vegetarians' shopping lists.
Guinness and some licorice allsorts also were singled out. Guinness
uses isinglass, a form of gelatine made from fish bladders, in the
production process to make the stout clearer, while the allsorts are
said to contain gelatine made from animal bones.
"There are some companies putting gremlins on our shopping lists,"
said Britain's Vegetarian Society chief executive Tina Fox.
"They make products that at first glance are vegetarian. But then you
look a little closer, do a little research and find out that the
sweets your toddler asks for or the beer your host offers you
actually use animal by-products."
The society named Smarties the winner of its Imperfect World Award at
a ceremony in London. The awards highlight products which appear
suitable for vegetarians until much closer inspection.
Smarties, which come in eight colours, are one of Nestle's top-selling
brands. More than five billion tubes have been made in 25 years.
http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,11247178%255E421,00.html
Would M&Ms contain similar ingredients to Smarties?beetle-coloured Smarties have you tried? Red Smarties get their bright
colour from a dye made from dried and crushed insects.
And while that information may make the most devoted fan a little
squeamish, it has left vegetarians with a particularly bad taste in
their mouths. They claimed Nestle, which makes the candy-coated
chocolate buttons, should consider an alternative for those unwilling
to indulge in animal by-products.
The red dye used to colour Smarties is processed by crushing dried
female cochineal insects, which are collected in central America.
It results in the colourant cochineal, otherwise known as carmine or
E120.
Smarties weren't the only favourites expected to be crossed off strict
vegetarians' shopping lists.
Guinness and some licorice allsorts also were singled out. Guinness
uses isinglass, a form of gelatine made from fish bladders, in the
production process to make the stout clearer, while the allsorts are
said to contain gelatine made from animal bones.
"There are some companies putting gremlins on our shopping lists,"
said Britain's Vegetarian Society chief executive Tina Fox.
"They make products that at first glance are vegetarian. But then you
look a little closer, do a little research and find out that the
sweets your toddler asks for or the beer your host offers you
actually use animal by-products."
The society named Smarties the winner of its Imperfect World Award at
a ceremony in London. The awards highlight products which appear
suitable for vegetarians until much closer inspection.
Smarties, which come in eight colours, are one of Nestle's top-selling
brands. More than five billion tubes have been made in 25 years.
http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,11247178%255E421,00.html