# Coca-Cola contains dye made from ants/insects? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 14, 2011, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coca-cola-contains-dye-made-from-ants-insects/592717 "2011-08-14T20:32:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coca-cola-contains-dye-made-from-ants-insects/592717/21 "2011-08-15T01:03:55Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Irrelevant – I’m not looking for “Kosher for Passover” – I’m looking for sugar-containing Coke, and I’m not finding it,even at Passover, even in the Kosher section. Most places don’t carry it. It has fairly limited distribution, mainly in a few big cities. I’ve never seen it either outside of the NYC area. ---
**Author:** ![Shmendrik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Shmendrik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shmendrik)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coca-cola-contains-dye-made-from-ants-insects/592717/22 "2011-08-15T01:07:18Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Most places don’t carry it. It has fairly limited distribution, mainly in a few big cities. I’ve never seen it either outside of the NYC area. Any city with a sufficiently large Jewish population will have HFCS-free Coca Cola available at Passover. Mexican Coke, which **runner pat** mentioned, is an interesting idea. I’ve seen it at supermarkets here in Chicago, but I don’t know how common it is nationwide. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coca-cola-contains-dye-made-from-ants-insects/592717/23 "2011-08-15T01:42:11Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > I’ve _been_ looking in the Kosher Passover department. It’s not there. I _do_ find Kosher-but-HFCS Coke there, even at Passover. > [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Foods that are kosher for Passover have to say “kosher for Passover” on the individual label. They can’t just say “kosher.” [QUOTE=Calmeacham] Irrelevant – I’m not looking for “Kosher for Passover” – I’m looking for sugar-containing Coke, and I’m not finding it,even at Passover, even in the Kosher section. [/quote] Did you think I was addressing you? Sorry. This was clarification for those who may not know that kosher and kosher-for-Passover aren’t the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coca-cola-contains-dye-made-from-ants-insects/592717/24 "2011-08-15T02:40:18Z")
> **[Kosher locust](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosher_locust)** > > Kosher locusts are varieties of locust deemed permissible for consumption under the laws of kashrut (Jewish dietary law). While the consumption of most insects is forbidden under the laws of kashrut, the rabbis of the Talmud identified eight kosher species of locust. However, the identity of those species is in dispute. > Despite the lingering uncertainty, some people today view certain species of locusts as kosher and they can be bought in Israel for consumption. > The Biblical command regarding k... Note that Poundstone’s excellent book “big Secrets” exposes many secret formulaes, and there’s no insect parts (on purpose) in Coke. Nor is there any cocaine, except perhaps a few stray molecules. ---
**Author:** ![mac\_bolan00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b3f665/32.png) [@mac\_bolan00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mac_bolan00)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coca-cola-contains-dye-made-from-ants-insects/592717/25 "2011-08-15T02:45:44Z")
even if it’s only in small amounts, can you imagine the daily volume requirement? ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coca-cola-contains-dye-made-from-ants-insects/592717/26 "2011-08-15T10:19:08Z")
> [@Shmendrik](#): > > Mexican Coke, which **runner pat** mentioned, is an interesting idea. I’ve seen it at supermarkets here in Chicago, but I don’t know how common it is nationwide. Costco often carries them. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coca-cola-contains-dye-made-from-ants-insects/592717/27 "2011-08-15T11:26:50Z")
> [@Shmendrik](#): > > Any city with a sufficiently large Jewish population will have HFCS-free Coca Cola available at Passover. In my experience you won’t find it at most supermarkets. In the Boston area, for example, it’s found in Newton and Brookline, but not necessarily in other suburbs. But if you must have it, I agree that you can find it. ---
**Author:** ![Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brown_eyed_girl/32/3574_2.png) [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brown_Eyed_Girl)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coca-cola-contains-dye-made-from-ants-insects/592717/28 "2011-08-15T12:08:39Z")
> [@voltaire](#): > > No need to worry about bugs (purposefully) in your Coke, but you might be squicked by Junior Mints (secretions from the lac insect used for the glaze) and many fruit cocktails (the above mentioned carmine that is derived from the dried bodies of the cochineal insect). > [Is some candy coated with beetle juice? - The Straight Dope](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/695/is-some-candy-coated-with-beetle-juice) I’ll never get why this is gross, but eggs are not. People eat all sorts of weird animal products and yet, it’s the mashed up insects and shellac people are all worried about. It makes no sense. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coca-cola-contains-dye-made-from-ants-insects/592717/29 "2011-08-15T15:14:20Z")
Look! A map! [http://WhereToFindMexicanCoke.com/](http://WhereToFindMexicanCoke.com/) And a [facebook page](http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mexican-Coca-Cola/27355893236). ---
**Author:** ![GilaB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@GilaB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GilaB)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coca-cola-contains-dye-made-from-ants-insects/592717/30 "2011-08-15T18:07:55Z")
> [@voltaire](#): > > No need to worry about bugs (purposefully) in your Coke, but you might be squicked by Junior Mints (secretions from the lac insect used for the glaze) and many fruit cocktails (the above mentioned carmine that is derived from the dried bodies of the cochineal insect). > [Is some candy coated with beetle juice? - The Straight Dope](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/695/is-some-candy-coated-with-beetle-juice) Junior Mints actually [became kosher](http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/765128) earlier this year, so presumably they’ve reformulated to a bug-free version. ---
**Author:** ![Msokolski](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85e7bf/32.png) [@Msokolski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Msokolski)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2022, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coca-cola-contains-dye-made-from-ants-insects/592717/31 "2022-09-25T23:42:32Z")
Mexican Coke is sold at various places and contains sugar instead of hfcs. Costco and target are a few places that carry it. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2022, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coca-cola-contains-dye-made-from-ants-insects/592717/32 "2022-09-26T23:54:56Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Are insects always non-kosher? Didn’t John the Baptist subsist on locusts and honey? The biblical rules on what is kosher contain a specific exception for locusts. As for honey, it is also mentioned in the bible so everyone assumes it is kosher, even though bees (and ants) are forbidden. Just for the record, there is at least one substance that is kosher, although it is forbidden to eat the animal source. mother’s milk ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2022, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coca-cola-contains-dye-made-from-ants-insects/592717/33 "2022-09-27T20:55:43Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > Just for the record, there is at least one substance that is kosher, although it is forbidden to eat the animal source. What? You only use the missionary position? 😁 ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2022, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coca-cola-contains-dye-made-from-ants-insects/592717/34 "2022-09-27T21:38:25Z")
As I understand it, though, most rabbis are no longer confident in precisely what species of locust was allowed, and so they now consider all insects to be non-kosher. ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2022, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coca-cola-contains-dye-made-from-ants-insects/592717/35 "2022-09-29T00:09:36Z")
It’s fairly easy to find Mexican coke (the drink) in Vancouver, BC ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2022, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coca-cola-contains-dye-made-from-ants-insects/592717/36 "2022-09-29T00:37:40Z")
Even I wouldn’t drink 11 year old zombie Coke. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2022, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coca-cola-contains-dye-made-from-ants-insects/592717/37 "2022-09-29T01:17:45Z")
> [@Kropotkin](#): > > It’s fairly easy to find Mexican coke (the drink) in Vancouver, BC It’s also fairly easy to find Mexican coke in Vancouver ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2022, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coca-cola-contains-dye-made-from-ants-insects/592717/38 "2022-09-29T02:37:41Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > I’ve _been_ looking in the Kosher Passover department. It’s not there. I _do_ find Kosher-but-HFCS Coke there, even at Passover. So there’s “regular” Kosher, and “Kosher for Passover”? I wasn’t aware of that. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2022, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coca-cola-contains-dye-made-from-ants-insects/592717/39 "2022-09-29T03:23:14Z")
Yup, separate. ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2022, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coca-cola-contains-dye-made-from-ants-insects/592717/40 "2022-09-29T14:06:23Z")
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