NP!

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http://tinyurl.com/bqqrvx

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Good afternoon guys... how's everyone?

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Good morning, my friend! I am doing great here, thanks. Just enjoyed Ren's video...hehehe...

How's life treating you?

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I am about to go for a short walk in the city. The sun is out!

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I'm doing good, have a good walk.

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Thanks! Back around 13.30hrs .

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Users browsing this forum: {uZa}Underdog and 0 guests

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Current conditions (as of 7:00 AM) Today's forecast
°F | °C
ClearClear
46°F

Feels like: 46°F

Barometer: 30.3 in rising
Dewpoint: 45°
Humidity: 93%
Visibility: 7 miles
Precip in last hr: NA
Precip last 24 hrs: NA
Wind: 0 mph
Sunrise: 6:57 AM
Sunset: 6:27 PM
UV Index: 0 Low

Observed at Tampa, Vandenberg Airport.
All times shown are local to Seffner.

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And now this:

You're Eating … What?

Carmine
According to the FDA, this red food coloring (also known as cochineal extract) is made from dried, ground bugs . The Dactylopius coccus costa insect is native to Peru and the Canary Islands, where it feeds on red berries. The berries accumulate in the females' stomachs and in their unhatched larvae—which is what gives the extract its red coloring. Carmine is one of the most widely used coloring agents, and food manufacturers routinely use it to turn foods shades of pink, red or purple. Chances are it's what makes the color of your strawberry yogurt or that cranberry drink look so appealing.

But the problem is that at the moment, you have no way of knowing if you're ingesting these little red bugs. Instead, the label will simply read, "artificial color" or "color added." But the Vegetarian Legal Action Network petitioned the FDA to disclose the presence of carmine, and in 2010, that requirement will go into effect. "But it will still be listed only as carmine or cochineal extract, with no mention of the ingredient's source," says Michael Jacobson, Ph.D., executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest. "The onus will be on the consumer to know what carmine is, and that's asking a lot."

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You're Eating … What?

Carrageenan
This is a fancy way of saying seaweed, and it's used as a thickening agent in foods such as ice cream, pudding and other dairy products. According to Jacobson, it's extracted from red seaweed that's plentiful on the Irish coast. It meets the FDA's GRAS (Generally Regarded as Safe) criteria and it's vegetarian, unlike some other gelling agents.

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You're Eating … What?
Shellac
Just in case you haven't eaten your fill of bugs, here's another opportunity for insect consumption. Shellac—which is used to make that shiny coating on jelly beans and to give fresh fruits and vegetables that perfect, glossy finish—is made from the excretions of Kerria lacca insects that are native to Thailand. Again, vegetarian lobbyists have urged the FDA to require that labeling indicate if fruits and vegetables are coated with an insect-derived substance. The FDA wouldn't go that far, but, according to Jacobson, it did require produce packers to disclose whether any coating used is animal- or vegetable-derived. "But it would be on a placard or on the box of produce, not in bold type on the fruit or vegetable itself," says Jacobson, and not necessarily displayed to grocery shoppers. "And I don't know that the regulation is very strongly enforced," he adds.

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You're Eating … What?
Gelatin
Gelatin is used in many packaged foods as a thickening agent. In addition to gummy candy, gelatin is found in Jell-O, ice cream and yogurt. But those innocent-looking little Gummi Bears are hiding a somewhat distasteful secret. According to the USDA, the gelatin that gives them their kid-pleasing texture is created at the expense of several different animal parts, including ligaments, skin, tendons and bones. Though some non-animal versions of gelatin are available, vegetarians know to avoid packaged foods containing gelatin, unless it's specifically labeled as being derived from a vegetarian source.

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