Beaver Butts Emit Goo for Vanilla Flavoring-Truth!
Summary of eRumor:
Has an alternative source for vanilla flavoring been found in the butt of a beaver?
The Truth:
“Beaver butts secrete a goo called ‘castoreum,’ which the animals use to mark their territory,” but this substance has also been used for close to 80 years by manufacturers of food and perfume products. This according to an October 1, 2013 article by National Geographic that said that the use of castoreum in food came with an approval from the Food and Drug Administration.
The article said that castoreum comes from the milking of beaver glands, a process that could be very unpleasant to all parties involved, considering the wild and nasty reputation of these semi-aquatic rodents. Because of this National Geographic said that “castoreum consumption is rather small.”
Also, the ingredients label affixed to vanilla bottles may not exactly say they come from beaver butts, which undoubtedly could hurt product sales. The labels may indicate the vanilla has “natural flavoring.”
Posted 01/16/14