In response to this regulatory change, carmine (E120), a natural colorant derived from cochineal, emerges as the safest and ...

Centuries before the now-banned red dye No. 3 was synthesized in a lab, humans turned to insects to color their foods, ...

Yes, there are in fact strawberries in there, but they're there for flavor and texture, not color. That bright red comes from something else called carmine. Oh, and it's made from squashed bugs.

Besides Red No. 40, another alternative might be carmine, a natural red dye made from the ground Cochineal bug, which primarily lives in South and Central America. Humans have used the insect to ...