What's in your Frappuccino?

photo courtesy of wsbtv.com

I came across this article and found it interesting.  Do you enjoy the strawberry frappuccino from Starbucks?  Well, the pretty strawberry color comes from the cochineal insect.  Starbucks says it started using the insect extract in an attempt to reduce it's use of artificial ingredients.  The cochineal insect is found mostly in Mexico and South America, and this extract has been used as a coloring agent since the 15th century for fabrics, food coloring, and cosmetics.
Although at first the thought of bugs in your drink may seem gross, cochineal extract is considered safe by the FDA.  It is commonly used for coloration in jams, preserves, meat, marinades, alcoholic drinks, cookies, and many other food products.  So, believe it or not, you may already be consuming cochineal from other products.