The Controversial Ingredient You'll Find In Nerds Gummy Clusters

While we mourn the long list of discontinued candy bars we're probably never getting back, we recognize a confection that's in its heyday and probably in no danger of leaving any time soon: Nerds Gummy Clusters. These colorful balls of crunchy candy may be tied with Dubai chocolate as the hottest sweet treat on the market today — they went viral during the pandemic years and quickly became the superstar of the Nerds portfolio, reviving a brand that was in danger of becoming another relic of the past (kind of like Zotz, the forgotten candy of the '70s).

If you've ever tried Nerds Gummy Clusters, you likely understand their appeal. They have all the crunch and tart-tangy sweetness of Nerds, with a chewy gummy center that makes them irresistible. Yet, when you chow down on this popular snack, you are, in a way, eating bugs. Was that a record scratch we just heard? 

Yup ... part of the vibrant coloring used to give Nerds Gummy Clusters their rainbow hue is carmine, a food dye derived from the crushed shells of female cochineal, a parasitic scale insect that sets up shop on prickly pear cacti. When cochineals are sun-dried, crushed to a powder, and mixed with a mild acid, a bold red coloring — carmine — is produced. Some candy shops have declined to carry Nerds Gummy Clusters due to the use of carmine, and it's possible that some vegetarians or vegans might want to avoid this candy since it technically contains an animal product. Carmine is particularly controversial because not all packaging spells out its origins, meaning consumers can't always make an informed decision.

On Reddit, fans of Nerds Gummy Clusters largely treated the revelation about bug powder in their candy as a big nothingburger. "I tell you what, I would much rather be eating a dye made from insects than some artificial lab-created crap or something made from petroleum products," one snacker philosophically stated. "People are worried why?" asked another. "There are tons of edible bugs out here and this is one of them. At least we aren't coloring things with literal poisons anymore." Indeed, carmine is used in many rosy-hued food products, like yogurt, cured meats, and sodas. You may even find carmine in scarlet cosmetics like lipstick.

There are two types of folks who have concerns about carmine in consumer products: those who object to eating bugs for ethical or squicky reasons, and those who are concerned about deceptive product labeling and possible allergens. Carmine allergies exist, and it has been argued that, historically, this is an underreported substance. We definitely get the consumer safety issue and recognize there's a real problem afoot with regards to labeling. 

In terms of the relative grossness of eating bugs, however, we have to point out that shellfish are biologically very close to insects, to the point that lobster has been called the roach of the sea ... and many, many people happily eat those. While you may have an unpleasant gut reaction to consuming bug powder in your Gummy Clusters, keep in mind that the issue likely isn't as nasty as you think it is and not that big a concern unless you have an allergy or ethical opposition at play.