CSPI Urges Dannon to Remove Carmine from Yogurt

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has asked Dannon to stop
using carmine—a dye reportedly derived from the dried, crushed bodies of
cochineal insects—to fruit-flavored yogurt to give it a pink color. According to
the advocacy watchdog, Dannon’s practice not only cheats consumers, “who
might expect that the named fruits—and not the unnamed creepy crawlies—
are providing the color,” but also puts consumers at risk because it has been
linked to allergic reactions ranging from hives to anaphylactic shock. See CSPI
News Release, July 24, 2013.