There Might Be Sawdust And Bugs In Your Food

There might be sawdust and bugs in your snacks and the FDA says it’s totally cool. In fact, most processed foods usually have ingredients that don’t sound very appetizing.

For example, propylene glysol is the main ingredient in antifreeze but can sometimes be found in ice cream, boxed cake mixes, and salad dressings. It’s usually used in food as a thickener and preservative.  

Castoruem is basically beaver butt secretions — it comes from the beaver’s castor gland, which is super close to its anal gland. You might find this is some artificial flavorings like raspberry and strawberry, though these days it’s not really used in foods because it’s too expensive and complicated to extract.

Cellulose or wood pulp (that’s basically sawdust) can be found in food like shredded cheese. It’s usually used to add texture and fiber to foods. Cellulose is basically plant fiber, and it’s indigestible. You have to grind wood to get the cellulose.

Lanolin is the oil that sheep produce and their wool — it’s usually used in chewing gun as a softener. Lanolin is also used in skincare products and makeup.

Carmine is food coloring made from ground up bugs. It’s used to provide the red tint to yogurt and artificial crab.

All of these ingredients are technically safe to eat and have been approved by the FDA for human consumption — as long as they’re within a certain amount. So try not to think about that too much the next time you’re chowing down on a snack.