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Dactylopius coccus Barlovento beetlesStarbucks recently found itself in hot water when news that the red dyes used in their strawberry drinks contained cochineal, a coloring made from <strong>crushed parasitic beetles</strong>. The ingredient has turned more than a few stomachs as it's unfriendly to vegetarian customers, carries a few negative health impacts of its own, and ranks incredibly high on the "eww" factor scale. Starbucks' Strawberries and Creme Blended Drinks and Strawberry Smoothies were cheerfully touted as vegan in the past — if one opts for them to be made with soy milk — but their "natural" dyes will now cause many to reconsider.1
Starbucks Use Cochineal in Strawberry DrinksStarbucks recently found itself in hot water when news that the red dyes used in their strawberry drinks contained cochineal, a coloring made from <strong>crushed parasitic beetles</strong>. The ingredient has turned more than a few stomachs as it's unfriendly to vegetarian customers, carries a few negative health impacts of its own, and ranks incredibly high on the "eww" factor scale. Starbucks' Strawberries and Creme Blended Drinks and Strawberry Smoothies were cheerfully touted as vegan in the past — if one opts for them to be made with soy milk — but their "natural" dyes will now cause many to reconsider.2
Starbucks Use Cochineal in Strawberry DrinksStarbucks recently found itself in hot water when news that the red dyes used in their strawberry drinks contained cochineal, a coloring made from <strong>crushed parasitic beetles</strong>. The ingredient has turned more than a few stomachs as it's unfriendly to vegetarian customers, carries a few negative health impacts of its own, and ranks incredibly high on the "eww" factor scale. Starbucks' Strawberries and Creme Blended Drinks and Strawberry Smoothies were cheerfully touted as vegan in the past — if one opts for them to be made with soy milk — but their "natural" dyes will now cause many to reconsider.3
