Great News!

I realised that I only checked the ingredients of the chocolate covered Raspberries and only assumed the chocolate covered cherries would have the same red dye as they have pretty much the same color.

When I realised my mistake I grabbed the box of chocolate covered cherries to check the list. I fully expected to see carmine on the list. to my surprise it is dyed with red dye 40. I had to look carmine up on the computer because it can also be listed as red dye #4 (I couldn't remember the number). I am elated. Pat can eat the raspberries (nothing grosses him out) and I'll eat the cherries hoping that red #40 is not a petroleum based food coloring (many are). I'll wait to look that up until after I have eaten the box. Why ruin the box I have already purchased?

I'm starting to think I need to switch to an organic diet. FYI Carmine is considered a 'natural' food coloring because it is derived from natural sources. Their are surprisingly few colors that can be produced by natural means.