Is cochineal red vegan?
Cochineal red is a non-vegan food ingredient.
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So, what is cochineal red?
Cochineal red is a vibrant and natural red food coloring obtained from the dried bodies of female cochineal insects, which are found in South America. The pigment, carminic acid, is extracted through a process that involves boiling the insects in water or an alkaline solution. Cochineal red is commonly used to color various foods and beverages, including dairy products, meat, baked goods, and even cosmetics. Its intense hue, stability, and non-toxic nature make it a popular alternative to synthetic dyes. However, some people may have allergic reactions to carmine, so it's essential to check product labels for its presence.
How to quickly find the source of ingredients like cochineal red?
We've built a database of 49359 ingredients (and growing), classified as "vegan", "non-vegan", or "maybe vegan".
We use it in our vegan ingredients scanner, which is the best way to avoid non-vegan ingredients - you take a picture of a product's ingredient list, and the app tells you if the product is vegan or not.
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