Beaver bum juice in perfume and ice cream?

[eastcoastmom]

You know when you read an ingredient label and you have o idea whet some of the items are? But you assume they must have passed some sort of inspection, and certainly be "safe"...

If you see Castoreum extract, you may want to reconsider.

Safety assessment of castoreum extract - PubMed Mobile



Safety assessment of castoreum extract as a food ingredient.

Abstract
Castoreum extract (CAS NO. 8023-83-4; FEMA NO. 2261) is a natural product prepared by direct hot-alcohol extraction of castoreum, the dried and macerated castor sac scent glands (and their secretions) from the male or female beaver. It has been used extensively in perfumery and has been added to food as a flavor ingredient for at least 80 years. Both the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association (FEMA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regard castoreum extract as generally recognized as safe (GRAS). Acute toxicity studies in animals indicate that castoreum extract is nontoxic by both oral and dermal routes of administration and is not irritating or phototoxic to skin. Skin sensitization has not been observed in human subject tests. Castoreum extract possesses weak antibacterial activity. A long historical use of castoreum extract as a flavoring and fragrance ingredient has resulted in no reports of human adverse reactions. On the basis of this information, low-level, long-term exposure to castoreum extract does not pose a health risk. The objective of this review is to evaluate the safety-in-use of castoreum extract as a food ingredient.

[georgie]

What is really disturbing is, even if you read labels carefully, you still may not really know what is added to the food. The problem is, they don't have to list it.

castoreum

[eastcoastmom]

Exactly. Which is precisely why I try to buy as few things with an ingredient list as possible.
It's still nice to know what some things are though. Castoreum extract sounds so innocent, doesn't it?

[georgie]

The shorter the ingredient list, the better. I bet our hair would stand on end if we really knew some of the things they put in stuff. Even buying "natural" is not natural at all. And here I always thougt the damn vanilla was from the vanilla bean. Go figure!!

Now I am curious. **going to look up what is in my "pure vanilla extract**

[eastcoastmom]

"natural" is a meaningless claim. "healthwashing" ans "greenwashing" companies use it all the time to try to convince unknowing consumers that their product is good for them.

It's better to eat ingredients than things with ingredients.

I think many people know better, but some are still fooled my these meaningless "health check?" symbols.

[eastcoastmom]

My vanilla right now is vodka and a vanilla beanns split down the centre in a mason jar. My old bottle of store bought says extradives of vanilla Bean, water, alcohol, sugar.

[georgie]

We were talking about this at work Friday. I don't usually mention brands, but I will for this. We were talking about Snack Well cookies. They claim to be less calories etc. better for people watching their weight. well it turns out there is more sugar & calories than other "regular" cookies. Yes, people are fooled by "labels" companies put on their products. Maybe it's low fat but higher sugar content.

I have been really trying not to buy any processed foods. I know sometimes it is quicker if you are in a hurry...but I find it doesn't take much longer to just cook a meal myself. I did that when the boys were home & we were running to practices & games so much. But one day I almost had a stroke when I read the amount of sodium in some of the things I was cooking.

[eastcoastmom]

We were talking about this at work Friday. I don't usually mention brands, but I will for this. We were talking about Snack Well cookies. They claim to be less calories etc. better for people watching their weight. well it turns out there is more sugar & calories than other "regular" cookies. Yes, people are fooled by "labels" companies put on their products. Maybe it's low fat but higher sugar content.

I have been really trying not to buy any processed foods. I know sometimes it is quicker if you are in a hurry...but I find it doesn't take much longer to just cook a meal myself. I did that when the boys were home & we were running to practices & games so much. But one day I almost had a stroke when I read the amount of sodium in some of the things I was cooking.

I think it's great that you care and are aware, Georgie =)

[georgie]

My vanilla right now is vodka and a vanilla beanns split down the centre in a mason jar. My old bottle of store bought says extradives of vanilla Bean, water, alcohol, sugar.

I just checked...mine too. It's McCormick. We can only hope.

[georgie]

I think it's great that you care and are aware, Georgie =)

I have too. I'm getting old. Can't eat like I did when I was 20.