Beaver butt used as ‘natural flavoring’ in your food

NaturalNews) Yes, it’s true.
Millions of people across the globe are  eating “beaver butt” and don’t even know that they’re consuming such a  substance.
It’s called “castoreum,” and it’s emitted from the castor sacs  within the animal’s anus. For a beaver, this slimy brown substance is used to  mark its territory, but for us humans, it’s used as an additive that is often  labeled as “natural flavoring” in the foods we eat – vanilla, strawberry and  raspberry probably being the most common.
Why is castoreum used? The most  notable characteristic (after being processed) has to be the smell of castoreum.  Instead of smelling horrible, like most people would expect from an anally  produced secretion, it has a pleasant scent, which supposedly makes it a perfect  candidate for food flavoring and other products.
The question that many  people put forth would have to be “who in their right mind actually made this  odd discovery?”
Another industry that utilizes castoreum is the fragrance  world. For decades, perfume manufactures have been using it to make various  types of fragrances. These anal secretions are said to contain around 24  different molecules, many of which act as natural pheromones. From perfumes to  air fresheners, castor sacs are quite versatile within the fragrance  industry.

Is it natural?

Sure it’s natural, but does “being natural” make it  right to use or consume?
Many disgusting substances are considered  “natural,” yet eating them may not be the best idea.
The act of labeling  something so vulgar and disgusting as “natural  flavoring,” should be illegal in many people’s eyes, but the FDA views it  all in a different light.
Having the anal secretions from a beaver take  the place of a strawberry in something like strawberry ice cream hardly seems  like an efficient process. Why go through the process of harvesting “anal  secretions” when a strawberry is much easier to pick?
It hardly seems  like a better option…
The food industry is a tricky business to figure  out, and it will continue to boggle the minds of many on issues exactly like  this. Much like with other additives that have raised concern over the years  (aspartame, high fructose corn syrup and food colorings), castoreum is proving to be just as questionable.
It’s the deceptive labeling that  seems to be the root of the problem. Instead of stating what castoreum truly is,  the FDA has allowed it to be labeled as something that sounds pleasant and  healthy.
As with many questionable additives in today’s food market, the  power lies within the people. Read your labels  thoroughly if you wish to subtract these types of ingredients from your  diet.
In all honesty, castoreum is probably safe to consume, being that  is derived from an animal, but who really wants to eat a beaver’s  anus?
For further information on castoreum, be sure to check out the  sources section below.

Learn more:  http://www.naturalnews.com/042950_beaver_butt_natural_flavoring_castoreum.html#ixzz2l35mTIDq