Strawberry Frappuccino Has Dead Bugs Extract

by Emily Co 0

New alert for Starbucks fans: your strawberry frappuccino has crushed insects in it. The rose hue of the drink originates from cochineal extract, a key ingredient that is made from ground-up bugs. Before you start freaking out, this coloring agent is also actually commonly used in items like jams, meats, and alcoholic drinks and has been used for hundreds of years. Even the FDA says the extract is safe. Starbucks mentioned in its press release that its reason for using this ingredient is to help the firm "move away from artificial dyes."

So what do you think — is it a smart move for Starbucks to use the natural dye of dead bugs to color your strawberry frappuccino?