The crushed bodies of a Central and South American insect, called the Cochineal, produces a natural red dye.
They are used for textiles, food-coloring, and cosmetics. Next time you see an ingredients list that includes carmine, cochineal extract or natural red 4, it comes from these bugs.
18 Comments
Ephera@lemmy.ml · 19 pts · 1y
I believe, you can also crush humans and it produces a red dye...
ArcaneSlime@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 13 pts · 1y
More of a brown dye really by the time it dries.
shalafi@lemmy.world · 17 pts · 1y
Thought this was common knowledge. Good for you who learned this!
rockerface@lemm.ee · 9 pts · 1y
Terraria taught me this
UnRelatedBurner@sh.itjust.works · 1 pts · 1y
do you read mob names? I only know a handfull of special ones'.
rockerface@lemm.ee · 2 pts · 1y
That beetle shows up on enemy detector so much while I'm looking for actual special mobs to farm for drops
AlligatorBlizzard@sh.itjust.works · 9 pts · 1y
Vegetarians of Lemmy, what's your thoughts on this? I've known about this for a while, but I'm looking for gelatin on that ingredients list, not bugs - I genuinely don't care, there's probably trace bugs in there regardless, lol.
Akrenion@slrpnk.net · 8 pts · 1y
Killing with intent is where I draw the line. Bugs were very important in our journey to understand brains and thus deserve some respect as a cognitive being imo.
surewhynotlem@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 1y
I can't be bothered to that degree. I'll watch for gelatin. And if I knew which thing to look for, I might avoid this as well. But I don't care enough to go out of my way and learn.
roscoe@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 5 pts · 1y
I've known a couple of vegans that wouldn't eat it. One was disappointed to learn a drink he liked contained it. But he stopped drinking it.
bamfic@lemmy.world · 9 pts · 1y
And stigmata
m0darn@lemmy.ca · 7 pts · 1y
Pretty interesting!
The Wikipedia article has a ton of info. This magazine article which Wikipedia references is imo a better introduction https://knowablemagazine.org/content/article/technology/2022/cochineal-red-dye-bugs-moves-lab
Ateam has managed to bioengineer a fungi to produce it, but with very low yields. Another team has managed to get e coli to produce it, they estimated that a 100,000 L fermenter could produce the same amount as a hectare of land.
100,000L is 100m^3 which is a cube with 4.7m side length. ~15'x15'x15' or uhh ~~~the size of 4 F150s.
Edit to add: a hectare is 100m x 100m ie ~100 yards x 100 yards.
AlligatorBlizzard@sh.itjust.works · 2 pts · 1y
As an American, I appreciate you converting to a measurement I can understand.
Zip2@feddit.uk · 6 pts · 1y
pendulous@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 1y
Starbucks got a lot of backlash for using this in there drinks a few years back
toynbee@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 1y
Every time I've scrolled past this thumbnail, my mind has gone to stigmata until I read the title.
sin_free_for_00_days@sopuli.xyz · 3 pts · 1y
Sounds like a bug that would burrow into your ear canal.
Sanctus@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 1y
Most metal description I've read in this community.
rishado@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 1y
They used to use this to dye Campari red actually.
Deceptichum@quokk.au · -2 pts · 1y