Like Nestle "Smarties"? - Did You Know They Are Made With BEETLES?

[matcom]

<snip>

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.

http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,11247178%255E421,00.html

[Kolesar]

1. Oh, man

Smarties are my favorite!

[supernova]

2. Better not wear some colored clothing then, either

some clothing dyes are also made from insects, not just plants.

edit: I love Smarties. :D Mmmmm... protein.

[jhain]

6. Been BOYCOTTING NESTLE FOR OVER 20 YEARS

here's why:

http://www.ibfan.org/english/issue/overview01.html


Every 30 seconds a baby dies from unsafe bottle feeding in the Third World

We Can't Let Them Get Away with It!
Boycott Nestlé and Wyeth

Nestlé and Wyeth, two of the World's largest producers of powdered baby milk, are currently breaking a World Health Organisation Code on the marketing of breast milk substitutes.

* Nestlé and Wyeth provide free milk to maternity hospitals in the Third World so that newborn babies are routinely bottle-fed.
* When newborn babies are given bottles, they are less able to suckle well. This makes breastfeeding failure likely. The baby is then dependent on artificial milk.
* When the mother and baby leave hospital, the milk is no longer free. At home parents are forced to buy more milk, which can cost 50% of the family income.
* Because the milk is so expensive the child is not fed enough. This leads to malnutrition.
* The water mixed with the formula is often contaminated. This leads to diarhhoea, malnutrition and often death. James Grant, Executive Officer of UNICEF, has said:

Every day some 3,000 to 4,000 infants die because they are denied access to adequate breast milk.

* 1.5 million babies die every year from unsafe bottle feeding.
* Breast feeding is free and safe and protects against infection - but companies know that unless they get babies on the bottle, they don't do business.

[SarahB]

9. Me too!

Not for 20 years, but about 10. :thumbsup:
More:
http://www.babymilkaction.org/pages/boycott.html
http://www.infactcanada.ca/NestleBoycott.htm

[LosinIt]

3. Since when are Smarties chocolate???

"They claimed Nestle, which makes the candy-coated chocolate buttons, should consider an alternative for those unwilling to indulge in animal by-products."

huh???

[supernova]

4. I noticed that too.

:wtf: ?

[Lefta Dissenter]

5. that's what I was wondering. (eom)

:shrug:

[BattyDem]

7. I thought the same thing ...

I did a Google. It appears that Nestle "Smarties" are different than the Smarties we have here in the states.

The news article posted above is from Australia and this link is from Canada:
http://www.nestle.ca/en/Products/Browse_by_Category/Chocolates/smarties.htm


On edit: These are the Smarties I know:
http://www.smarties.com/

[achtung_circus]

12. When you eat your Smarties

Do you eat the red ones last?
Do you suck them very slowly/
Or crunch them very fast?
Eat that candy coated chocolate
So tell me when I ask!
When you eat your Smarties
Do you eat the red ones last?
THUMP

What would a smartie be if not chocolate?

(asks a Canucklehead)

[LWolf]

13. Smarties are Nestle's version of M&Ms.

I had a coworker from Canada who brought them with her by the case every time she went home for a visit.

[achtung_circus]

17. True, but

I personally find the chocolate in Smarties creamier, and to my taste, better.

[LWolf]

18. So said my Canadian colleague!

I couldn't tell a big difference. But I didn't eat much of either one.

[flvegan]

16. Idiotic thing to say

Considering that the chocolate in these is MILK chocolate. Avoiding Smarties due to the carmine (the ingredient made from the cochineal beetle) because you avoid animal products is retarded if you'd otherwise indulge in the milk.

[ima_sinnic]

8. insects are actually a high-quality protein source

... it is only cultural prejudices that turn us off to the idea.
I have eaten insects in entomology "edible insects" demos and they are actually tasty and filling. I also have an insects cookbook but haven't tried any of the recipes yet (don't have the time to collect the ingredients :) )

[BiggJawn]

10. Not to worry here in the US....

I would imagine OUR "smarties" are coloured with good, "kind" COAL TAR......Thus the only animal at risk from eating them is YOU, but that's OK, because you're a Human, and Humans Suck...

Tell me, please, do Vegans swat Flies and kill Cockroaches? do they put out De-Con for Rats? use Mouse traps?

Sanitize their dishes? use SOAP? after all, aren't bacteria animals, too?

[bloodyjack]

14. bacteria aren't animals. bacteria are bacteria.

they fall into the domain bacteria. animals fall into the domain eukarya. many people learn this in high school.

vegans don't consume or wear animal by-products of any kind. I think you have confused them with Jains.

[puddycat]

11. This is true (I checked on Snopes) but I don't think its disgusting

http://www.snopes.com/food/ingredient/bugjuice.htm

If one is a strict vegetarian it may be disgusting but if one eats the slaughtered carcasses of animals then why get disgusted over some ground up beetles?

[warrior1]

15. my smarties

have Red Lake 40. Whew, no beetles in mine.

[miss_kitty]

19. Is that why the orange Smarties taste like orange?

Altoids are made with gelatin

[LosinIt]

20. Altoids are a great Marital Aid

think about it....Curiously strong