I know this is not new news, but after debating with some folks that beaver butt juice is not an urban myth, I wanted to do a short post on this disgusting secret of the food industry. Yes, it’s true, beaver butt secretions are in the food supply, and you may be consuming it without knowing. YUCK!
Today I want to draw your attention to a food additive called castoreum. Castoreum is exudate from the castor sacs of the mature North American Beaver and the European Beaver. It is a yellowish secretion that combines with the beaver’s urine, used during scent marking of territory. Both male and female beavers possess a pair of castor sacs and a pair of anal glands. And amazingly enough, this secretion is now commonly used in perfumes and as a food additive. SERIOUSLY????
In the United States, castoreum is considered to be a legal food additive by the Food and Drug Administration. It usually is only labelled as a “natural flavoring” in food products, leaving the consumer completely unaware that they are consuming beaver butt secretions. It is often used as part of a substitute for vanilla, strawberry, and raspberry flavoring.
For real, ya’ll. Who in the heck discovered that beaver anal secretions were “tasty”?
“Natural Flavoring” According to the FDA
The FDA has a practice of using broad umbrella words like “natural flavoring” to describe certain ingredients, many of which are in no way healthy or natural. When you see that term listed in the ingredients, know that there is no real way to know what you are consuming.
The exact definition of natural flavors from the Code of Federal Regulations reads:
“The term natural flavor or natural flavoring means the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof, whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional.”
In other words, it’s impossible to really know what is in “natural flavorings.” A person who is vegan may be consuming a product made from pork. Someone with celiac disease may be unknowingly consuming something made from gluten. An innocent consumer just wanting a raspberry flavored yogurt may be eating beaver butt juice. The complete lack of transparecy by the FDA is appauling.
According to a detailed ingredient report by Be Food Smart, castoreum can be found in
- alcoholic beverages
- baked goods
- frozen dairy
- chewing gum
- candy
- beverages
- meat products
- pudding
- gelatin
- ice cream
- vanilla flavoring
- raspberry flavored food
Are you grossed out yet? I sure am. So let’s keep it REAL, folks. REAL food that is. The only real way to avoid questionable ingredients like beaver anal secretions is to avoid all processed food. Eat real fruit and vegetable. Eat local, clean, humanely raised meats. Eat the whole animal, not just processed muscle meat sections. Make your own ice cream from RAW, local dairy. If you eat grains, take the time to buy organic grains and prepare them properly for digestion. Eat out less. You never know what you are getting from someone else’s kitchen.
There was a time not long ago, maybe 40-50 years, when processed food were not the norm. People made food from scratch, sat down and ate together, and most of the food that was consumed was produced locally. Go to your local farmer’s markets and get to know your local farmers. Find out who raises good quality meats. How many of you know how to cut up a whole chicken? Learn to prepare your own foods and preserve, can, freeze for later. Get back to the kitchen and take charge of the foods that you and your family eat.
NEED SOME HELP TO GET STARTED?
Many of us have not learned or don’t feel like we have the time to make food from scratch. It can be overwhelming. My own personal food journey started over 20 years ago, and I am still learning every day. Feeding the family is an art form that takes practice. I am constantly trying to find ways to save time and money, as well as keeping it creative and interesting. Here are a few resources that I have found useful in learning to create my own food in my own kitchen:
- Real Food Survival Guide for Busy Moms by Homemade Mommy
- From Scratch by The Elliott Homestead
- Nourishing Traditions
by Sally Fallon
- Real Food Meal Plans from Holistic Squid
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Sources:
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17365147
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castoreum
- http://www.befoodsmart.com/ingredients/castoreum.php
- http://www.befoodsmart.com/blog/video-jamie-oliver-talks-about-beaver-anal-gland-castoreum-in-our-food/
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Wow. I’m semi new to the real food, no processed food diet but have made a lot of progress in the past few weeks, and done a lot of research. It really is shocking what the FDA passes as “natural” or “healthy”. We saw this on the news about the beaver butt secretions and I thought, yup that sounds about right. Unreal.
I know! My sweetie did not believe me so I had to write this post. It is almost comical how ridiculous it is. Aren’t you glad that you are discovering REAL food. Happy you are here! 🙂
I have a hard time believing that beavers are used for this industrial use and the additional food items you have here. Are they harvesting beaver exudate on some farm somewhere? C’mon, be serious.
I totally feel your skepticism but the research is there. As hard as it is to believe, it’s true. I wonder how you would get a job as a beaver exudate harvester? What training would you need? 😉
…and why would you even want to do that in the first place? Especially when you know what they do with it.
They don’t “milk” the beavers. They kill them to get the gland out. 🙁
Furriers extract the glands from the Beavers after they kill them for their pelts. The glands are then dried and shipped to the fur processors along with the skins. Source: http://www.furharvesters.com/pdf/castor_eng.pdf
I have been a flavor chemist for the last 15 years. I will tell you with first hand certainty that Castoreum/Castoreum Tincture is absolutely a natural flavor ingredient. The issue with the article lies in the statement that it is NOW being used in more and more foods and drinks. The reality is that it’s use is slowly lessening due to the fact that it is a byproduct of the fur industry which has been declining since the 1990’s. The slow down of the fur industry caused a drop in the supply of castoreum which subsequently drove its price ever higher until it was no longer a cost effective ingredient. My company has replaced it entirely with an oil from a Peruvian tree and a few other natural (non-animal) ingredients.
Thank you!
Thank Goodness!
You have to admit that is all natural! !!
Beaver butt must taste awesome then.
This article helps shed more light on the fact that the food industry has grown into an enormous and despicable enterprise. It’s the reason why eating real food is becoming more popular. And the line in the article “who in the heck discovered that beaver anal secretions were “tasty?” gave me a really good belly laugh. That line was perfect!!
Where the H____ do the producers get the beaver secretions.. Beavers are not that prevalent in our world anymore.. I am assuming that the corporations are using a chemical that is made to simulate the secretions…
Geezzzzzzzz….I find it hard to believe that there are people out there who their job is run in the wild and catch beavers and squeeze their butts.
The food industry uses a lot of that stuff.Are there enough beavers out there?????
Hmm…………..
When I first heard about this it grossed me out so much. Did you hear the one about how calamari sometimes isn’t really calamari but is pig rectum rings?
I had not heard about that. Sounds totally gross. Thank goodness I don’t like calamari! 🙂
Mmmmm. Buttnilla.
We are not new to beaver butt…lol…my kids actually crack me up in the market when they ask for a fruit leather or some other “naturally flavored” item..because they say things out loud like “mom can I have this fruit leather, I’m ok with a little beaver butt today.” Lol
We try to avoid beaver arse as much a possible along with many other not right so called natural food bits! Once a person starts to examine their food intake, it’s likely they will be horrified! I’ll take a little beaver butt over GMOs any day, but best to avoid all of the above! 🙂
I think we do the best that we can. You can drive yourself crazy worrying about it. You seem to have a healthy approach to eating. Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2014/03/26/293406191/does-beaver-tush-flavor-your-strawberry-shortcake-we-go-myth-busting
If milking beaver anal glands was a real job Mike Rowe would have done it. And PETA would be protesting it.
Buy only organic, eat locally, no processed foods, it must be nice to have the money to eat like this.
Make food from scratch, sit down and eat together, it must be nice to not have to work 60 hours a week to pay the bills so that you have time to fix food from scratch and sit down to eat together.
All this sounds fine and good, but in today’s economy in the USA and many other countries, the simple fact is, most people cannot afford the more expensive organic foods and due to extended hours of work simply do not have time to fix food from scratch. While the stuff that is put in processed food may be nasty, unsavory, and bad for you, but it is all many of us can afford and have time for.
Hi, there! I totally get it. Life is busy, and organic food can be expensive. I have struggled with both of those facts. I have found that when I am super busy, meal planning and batch cooking can be super helpful. I have found ways to prepared large amounts of healthy foods on the weekends and freeze them in portions. We eat super simple. Steamed veggies and some sort of meat most night. It doesn’t take long to prepare. Condiments and salad greens make it more interesting. I have also found ways to save money on real food. Our local Costco has lots of organic options. And I have found that if I only buy fresh produce and good meats, I am actually saving money. Prepared and processed foods can be quite expensive. I think people do the best that we can. And I know that as I have made food prep and real food a priority, I have found ways to slowly incorporate it into our busy lives. There are also many discount places to shop from toiletries and such online like Vitacost and Thrive Market that can save you money. Getting a CSA box from our local farm has made buying organic produce more affordable as well. Buying meat straight from a farmer in bulk can also save you money. My mama always said that if there is a will, there is a way. Have a sweet day! 🙂
Also, the FDA is corrupt. We’re on our own. Can’t believe how many don’t investigate the most important parts of our lives!
They’re too busy watching tv, and licking beaver-butt ice cream
It is unfortunately very true Kevin. There are SO many “additives in the form of flavor enhancers and preservatives” that are truly disgusting and illegal in other countries, but not here in the US. If you start doing some research on ingredients that are legal in the US but illegal in other countries, or a search on common food additives, you’re going to be shocked, appalled and disgusted. I went to college and have my degree to study nutrition and food. Talk about an awakening. The thing that gets me… is so many people say “I hope someday they find a cure for “cancer” or any other disease”… there are TONS of cures, but it is through eating whole organic food that isn’t laced with all this shit. Your body will naturally heal itself.