This is what makes red Smarties red!

furnace · 16 Jul 2008 at 23:09

I've long known that Smarties had some form of insect in them, I wasn't too sure what colour or what insect so I thought I'd find out tonight.

Pretty gross but thought I'd share

This is what they get the red dye from - the colour 'Carmine' (E120) is derived from the Cochineal Insect:

[more pics]

YUMMEH! Remember what's in your mouth next time you eat red smarties - or probably any other red sweet! lol

P.S. I'm not trying to stop anyone from eating them. I don't care who eats what!

gillywibble · 16 Jul 2008 at 23:11

I've eaten worse.

Tee Hee Johnson · 16 Jul 2008 at 23:11

Ach well... i blooming love smarties

yermum · 16 Jul 2008 at 23:12

Yup, just checked. It does indeed say cochineal. How do vegetarians feel about this I wonder?

JBuk · 16 Jul 2008 at 23:12

would rather eat the insect than a smartie tbh

-Ad- · 16 Jul 2008 at 23:12

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SideWinder · 16 Jul 2008 at 23:13

^ I think you should be deducted 708 posts.

Slinwagh · 16 Jul 2008 at 23:13

gillywibble said:
I've eaten worse.

I have woke up with worse.

Megahurtz400 · 16 Jul 2008 at 23:17

Might start harvesting these, they tatse so good!

Annoys me when people try and do this to make people go "Urrrghh minging im not eating them now!" I just go, "They taste good so, meh."

Mansize_tissue · 16 Jul 2008 at 23:21

The female one looks kind of smarty-like. I'd probably mistake it (her) for a red smarty and eat it (her) anyway.

~J~ · 16 Jul 2008 at 23:22

yermum said:
Yup, just checked. It does indeed say cochineal. How do vegetarians feel about this I wonder?

They avoid them. (just asked my wife).

Hxc · 16 Jul 2008 at 23:29

i really don't care

vincent1989 · 16 Jul 2008 at 23:34

yermum said:
Yup, just checked. It does indeed say cochineal. How do vegetarians feel about this I wonder?

i already know it has cochineal in, that's why i haven't eaten them for years

infact, vegetarians shouldn't be eating nestles chocolate products full stop, as they all contain whey powder using the calf enzyme method

SwishSpencor · 16 Jul 2008 at 23:38

How are bloo ones bloo

Gilly · 16 Jul 2008 at 23:38

Megahurtz400 said:
Annoys me when people try and do this to make people go "Urrrghh minging im not eating them now!" I just go, "They taste good so, meh."

I do this with burgers and sausages. Yes I know it is leftover mush but it tastes awesome.

Megahurtz400 · 16 Jul 2008 at 23:40

Gilly said:
I do this with burgers and sausages. Yes I know it is leftover mush but it tastes awesome.

Yeh i know, who cares if it tastes so good!

vincent1989 · 16 Jul 2008 at 23:41

SwishSpencor said:
How are bloo ones bloo

algae

Xenoxide · 16 Jul 2008 at 23:49

T'is fine by me. I love Smarties. However I refuse to eat them since they got rid of the round tubes. It's not right! (I still eat the party packs and McFlurry's, they're fine.)

Steve2000 · 16 Jul 2008 at 23:50

I'm not phased. If it was genuinely harmful to consume these things then they would not be allowed to produce Smarties. Watch Fear Factor on Challenge TV, they push the boundaries of what insects you can eat.

Still makes me wonder though, who on earth first thought "How do we get the Smarties red? I know! Yes! We'll throw a million of these reddish insects into the mix!".

peetee · 16 Jul 2008 at 23:53

red dye from - the colour 'Carmine' (E120)

do you have a source confirming the stuff actually comes from insects?
As theres a possibility they just use the chemical which is found in the insects, but buy it from some kind of chemical company who produce it - man make it if you will - this doesnt make it an artificial colouring as its still chemically the exact same as the insect?

Im fairly sure what I just said is correct, as it was explained to me like this by someone from ICI(i think it was?) about ermm.. think it was garlic or something