I read somewhere that there is an ingredient used in some fruit sodas (like orange) called “castoreum” that is made from beavers’ sex glands. My husband refuses to believe me. He says it’s not listed in the ingredients, I say it probably comes under the heading of “natural flavors” or something. I wrote to Unca Cece about it, but have yet to hear back. Has anyone else heard this, or am I (and the OU Kosher website) a victim of an urban legend?
If you didn’t already know, castoreum really is made from the preputial glands of beavers (the animal, silly). It’s basically beaver smegma. Yum.
The FDA lists castoreum under the heading “Certain other spices, seasonings, essential oils, oleoresins, and
natural extracts that are generally recognized as safe” so I suppose it might fall under the heading of “natural flavors”.
Castoreum is not kosher, so any product identified as being kosher (usually indicated by a U or K in a circle) or parve/pareve will not contain any castoreum.
Or maybe not. I may be reading it wrong, but the definition of “natural flavor” would seem to exclude castoreum.
Also, who’s the brave soul that discovered that beaver smegma tastes like fruit? (shudder)
There are that many beavers killed each year?
Peace,
mangeorge
So next time I have a fruit soda, I really can smack my lips and say “Hmm…nice Beaver”?
Let me put that another, less challenging, way;
Where on earth do they get all those beaver preputial glands?
Huh?
I’m having flashbacks of slaughtered seal pups.
Well, beavers are all dammed to begin with, now we know why. It wasn’t for the hats, those wily old trappers wanted a better tasting soda pop!
How did they find it out? Hey, everyone knows how lonesome those backwoods boys get.
As Groucho once said, that reminds me of a story that’s so dirty I’m ashamed to think of it.(“Horsefeathers”)