Ever wonder what goes into your comfort food? All of us have probably thought of the secret ingredient that makes our food addictive. While they may only be certain ingredients or tricks, some have pretty questionable ingredients in them. We’re talking about beaver secretions and insects that would keep you grossed out. Today, we’re uncovering 9 foods with secret ingredients you’d never guess.
9. Vanilla Ice Cream
That scoop of vanilla goodness might have more than you bargained for. The secret? It’s castoreum, which came from a beaver’s secretion. Don’t worry, they’re an FDA-approved additive used as a natural flavoring for vanilla ice cream, yogurt, and raspberry-flavored iced tea. However, it has declined as an additive due to the cost, but it’s still legally used today.
8. Orange Juice
That orange juice comes with a secret. Some are flavored with chemicals used to create the same fragrance companies that formulate perfumes for high-end brands. How come? The pasteurization process strips off the juice of oxygen to extend their shelf life, otherwise known as removing their natural flavor. Now, to bring them back, flavor packs are used, which are engineered chemical mixes to mimic the taste of oranges. Make sure to only choose orange juice labeled as “100% orange juice,” as it contains juice made purely from oranges, as the FDA and USDA strictly regulate. You’ll be sure that there is no added sugar, flavor packs, or perfume on them.
7. Bread
Love that soft and fluffy texture from your store-bought bread? That might be the L-cysteine speaking. It’s a dough conditioner that came from… human hair. It could also come from other sources like duck feathers, cow’s horn, and pig bristles. It helps speed up the baking process and extends the shelf life of many commercial bread products. It’s actually considered safe by the FDA, as its presence is only in trace amounts.
6. Shredded Cheese
Ever wonder why your store-bought cheese shreds in a bag don’t stick together? It’s the cellulose speaking, which is just a fancy name for processed wood pulp or sawdust. It’s commonly used in pre-shredded cheese to prevent clumping. It’s not really harmful, but it still passes through your digestive system unabsorbed. Well, just grate your cheese at home if you want to avoid this.
5. Candy
Ever wonder where candy got its shiny coating? It’s from the shellac, which is a resin secreted by a female lac bug. It’s also the same substance used as wood varnish and a protective coating for furniture. It’s often listed as “confectioner’s glaze” on the ingredient list, so watch out for that.
4. White Sugar
That white sugar has a surprising source you’ll never expect. It’s none other than animal bone char. Well, raw sugar cane is naturally brown, so to get that perfect white color, manufacturers use crushed animal bones to filter it. Don’t worry, those bones won’t go into the product; it’s just some surprising information.
3. Soda
You may think that the sharp and tangy flavor of soda comes from carbonation. Well, yes, but it also comes from phosphoric acid, which is a chemical used to remove rust from metal. The food-grade version is refined and considered safe for consumption, but you can’t remove the fact that it’s a basic chemical compound.
2. Gummy Bears
Those chewy gummy bears get their texture from gelatin. Okay, no biggie, but you might not know that gelatin is a substance from boiled animal parts. Particularly, gelatin is composed of 50% boiled pig skin and 25% cow bones, with its remainder from other animal connective tissues. Manufacturers boil these animal parts for hours and extract their collagen. Gelatin is also used in marshmallows, yogurt, and even in some vitamins and medications.
1. Chewing Gum
If gummy bears come from boiled animal parts, then chewing gum comes from a sheep. It’s actually the lanolin, which is an oily secretion found in a sheep’s wool. It’s an FDA-approved additive used to soften the gum and give it a pliable consistency. Lanolin is also found in cosmetics, sunscreens, and baby products.