Castoreum: (noun) a bitter strong-smelling creamy orange-brown substance that consists of the dried perineal glands of the beaver and their secretion.
This substance is approved by the FDA and is labeled as "natural flavors." It is mainly used as vanilla, strawberry, or raspberry flavoring in common-day food and drink. It is also used in perfumes, and as an additive in cigarettes.
Not only is this disgusting, it is deadly. The European Beaver was hunted to near extinction, both for fur and for castoreum. And some experts say that today’s American beaver population is only 5 percent of what it was when Europeans first settled in North America.
I am petitioning the FDA's approval of this substance as a common ingredient and relabeling it to hide it's shocking and true origins.