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There Might Be Dead Animal Parts in Your V8! & Homemade V8 Juice Recipe

8/7/2014 – UPDATE: Does Campbell’s Soup Not Know What’s In Its Own Products?

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Did you know that Campbell’s V8 Juice has possible dead animal parts inside? I thought the “V” stood for “Vegetables” – but I guess I was wrong. “Natural Flavor” is one of the most deceptive ingredients on a label of any product – it could mean anything found in nature, including ingredients you weren’t expecting like meat! Campbell’s confirmed their “flavoring” may include “meat/seafood/poultry/dairy” this week on Twitter and within their question chat box on their website with us. They also confirmed they don’t offer any vegan products – this means the “100% Vegetable Juice” claim on the label of V8 is just plain FALSE!

See screen shot below:

Twitter Campbells

 

What Can You Do About This?

Regardless, if you’ve been following this blog, you know V8 Juice is not something I would buy or consume anyways, but this is another good reason to give it the heave-ho into the trash can (or take it back to the store and ask for a refund.)

If you are as mad as me about this deceptive practice – Please sign this new petition on change.org started by a brave young woman, go to Campbell’s Soup facebook page here and twitter page here immediately and tell them you are no longer buying their products and disgusted with their misleading information.

Call Campbell’s Customer Service Line: 1-800-257-8443

This example just goes to show that Campbell’s Soup brand is not interested in being honest or transparent about their ingredients on their labels. In fact, they spent almost a MILLION DOLLARS preventing GMO-labeling laws from passing! 

Animal Parts V8

Make Homemade V8 Instead

To avoid mysterious animal parts, enjoy this recipe for Homemade V8 juice below – this recipe is straight from this month’s Eating Guide program. This drink is super refreshing, tastes a billion times better than bottled pasteurized V8 and super easy to make. If you don’t have a juicer, just blend all the ingredients and drink like a gazpacho, or strain the juice through a strainer or cheese cloth. Enjoy!

HomemadeV8Juice

If you become a member of the Eating Guide Program, you’ll be eligible for a set of amazing bonuses we have coming up for you in September – including guides specifically for the fall and holidays coming up. Check out the program here.

Homemade V8 Juice
 
Prep time
Total time
 
Serves: 1
Ingredients
  • 2 medium carrots
  • 1 small beet
  • 1 large tomato
  • 1 cup spinach (rotate your green weekly)
  • ½ cucumber
  • ½ red bell pepper
  • 1 celery stalk
  • 1 garlic clove
  • pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
  • ½ lemon, juiced
Instructions
  1. Wash all fruits and vegetables and place into a large bowl.
  2. Place all ingredients through your juicer, except the lemon juice.
  3. Stir in lemon juice before serving and clean juicer immediately.

 

Cheers, 

Vani 

P.S. If you want to know the truth about your food, make sure and sign up for email updates and join the Food Babe Army. Together we are informing the world about what’s really in our food. 

 

 

 

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247 responses to “There Might Be Dead Animal Parts in Your V8! & Homemade V8 Juice Recipe

    1. Yep – it is. So unfortunate food companies have to hide so much. If they just were truthful on labels, we’d have a safer and healthier world, that’s for sure!

      1. Thank you for continuing to expose these companies and what they’re trying to hide in our foods!

    2. I actually think it’s great news. We need to continue exposing these companies and their horrible practices.

    3. Being a vegetarian/vegan, I’ve learned these things unfortunately. Labels are very vague. Even “vegetable broth” has meat in it. I have to buy one specific brand from one store just to have actual VEGETABLE broth if I don’t want to make it myself. So sad. Anything that says “natural” OR “artificial” flavoring I pass on. Because clearly its something they are ashamed to put in the label. I don’t trust anything unless its from my garden, or organic from a farm. Which is sad to me. Trust no one. Suspect everyone! 😉

  1. Wow-I literally just finished drinking a can of V-8 juice! The FDA is not looking out for us or they would not allow this kind of deception in labeling. UGH-I am not happy right now 🙁
    Thank you for the recipe though -can’t wait to try it 🙂

    1. The FDA, USDA, AMA (Rockefeller-funded),IMF, CIA, and many other alphabet organizations masquerading as organizations protecting us have proven themselves to be untrustworthy over and over again. Get a hold of the book called “Into the Buzzsaw” edited by Karen Borjesson. It is a compilation of articles that never made it to the mainstream media, but very well-researched by award-winning journalists.

  2. Thanks for this post – I thought I was going to be sick reading this but was so excited to see your recipe! You never let me down!

  3. Hey Vani!

    I have a bit of a personal question here….would you mind sharing your method for birth control? I’m about to need to get on it, and I just really don’t love the idea of adding hormones to my body every day. I know you love to go natural with beauty products too, so I’d love to know your thoughts on this! Thanks Vani!

    1. There’s a really great book called “Taking Charge of Your Fertility” – which is just as much about how to sidestep 🙂 your fertility, as it is for people trying to conceive. The general idea is that you learn to read the signs that your (female) body is fertile (temperature, cervical texture, cervical fluid), and then use a barrier method at the appropriate times. Then you also know the times when it’s impossible to become pregnant, and you don’t need protection (and assuming you’re in a relationship in which you don’t also need protection from STIs). It’s a fantastic book.

      Dr. Deborah Epstein (ND)

    2. a better way to ask that question would be “what are your thoughts on birth control?” asking what she does personally is too personal, IMO. luckily there are lots of options and if you don’t get any info here, google would be very helpful.

    3. Like Deborah said, there are natural methods to preventing pregnancy or trying to get pregnant–Natural Family Planning. So many people think this is the old Rythmn Method, but it’s actually a series of ways to track your body naturally. Most Catholics going through marriage prep learn about it but many people don’t know enough about it to promote it, and it’s not talked about in sex ed classes (which is a shame). Some doctors even use it to identify problems with girls’ reproductive systems before they are sexually active. The beauty of it is that you know what’s happening to your body all the time, and it keeps chemicals out. Definitely check out the book Deborah mentioned and if you can’t easily find classes or groups near you, call a nearby Catholic church for a reference. If you’re not religious, they should still be more than willing to help you learn about these processes.

      1. (to Rachael) NFP works…100% effective! there are other natural methods: The Billings, Sympto-Thermal methods, Creighton Model FertilityCare System, NaProTechnology and The Marquette Model (MM) system of NFP, which uses the ClearBlue Easy Fertility Monitor. A great aid: Lady-Comp Fertility Computer – Next Generation or a watch called: OV-Watch Fertility Predictor. Best of all…none of these methods require you putting chemicals in your body. check out the essay: Contraception: Why Not? by Dr. Janet Smith.orlisten on youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajcAKbEp3cg&list=PL524F0F36F5A69D4A

    4. Research what Catholics used to use, called the Rhythm Method. My devout sister used it for 30+ years of marriage with no “accidents” ;o)

      1. Your sister is a lucky lady. Many parents who use the Rhythm method are known as parents.

  4. And don’t forget, V8 comes in a can, so add a little BPA in with the natural favorings.

  5. this is what I posted on their FB page.
    I will never buy your products until you clean them up.1. NO animal products in your soups or juices.2. no MSG in your products, no artificial flavors or colorings 3. absolutely NO GMOs….4. QUIT advetising 100% Vegetable when there are animal products in your juices. That is false advetising and an outright lie.

    1. ” NO animal products in your soups ”

      Well, they do sell chicken noodle soup and such, but I think they will grasp your point.

    1. Precisely, I was thinking the same thing. Campbell’s does not factor on my grocery list and hasn’t for years. It is obviously high sugar, fake colours and full of questionable ingredients.

      1. Ha, sounds just like our politicians, full of artificial ingredients, artificial coloring and they’re bad for you!

    1. Well, no, that’s primarily in foods with vanilla or raspberry flavoring. Wonder what crazy food scientist figured THAT out.

  6. V8 is not something I’d ever buy, I tried it over 20 yrs ago and thought it was awful. And, I’ve always been aware its fake and unhealthy.
    I appreciate what Vani is doing- informing the masses about the most consumed products. Because realistically, although those of us who eat organic, non-gmo, local, whole foods is growing ,we are still the minority….and I firmly believe the most effective way to make the largest positive impact on America’s health is by ridding mainstream foods of dangerous chemicals. Food corps aren’t going to change unless the majority demands change, and by the FoodBabe informing the majority of what’s really in their foods will in turn encourage the masses to demand change. That is when these food corps will listen. Then, no matter ones socioeconomic status or food preference, all food bought will be safe and healthy. That’s my opinion, anyway. Thanks again for all you do, Vani and all who work with her. Go #FoodBabeArmy ! 🙂

    1. That sounds good and all, but the problem is plenty of people can’t afford organic food. Organic is certainly healthier, but mainstream food creates their product in such a way that they can beat the competition’s prices, by whatever means possible. Unfortunately, some people depend on these practices so that they can get cheaper groceries.

      If one has the disposable income, though, I do think organic is the way to go. Perhaps subsidies can be redirected towards organic.

      But, when the money pool gets big, the original moral purposes start to fade.

      1. Actually I think that the low prices for all this processed GMO-laden junk we see on our shelves are artificially low by way of government subsidizing the processed food industry using our tax-payer dollars. If the government stopped subsidizing things that it has no business subsidizing things like the processed foods would have no choice but to compete on a level playing field and healthy organic food might just beat out processed food were that to happen.

      2. Joseph, I agree completely. Subsidies are the main reason high fructose corn syrup is so popular with food companies. I’m sure there are many other imbalances they bring on. So we have to pay taxes to subsidize the stuff we won’t eat to give the impression the food is “cheap”. Not so cheap after you add in the taxes we pay. I am always calling for my Congressional reps to do away with subsidies to no avail. Perhaps my voice is a singular one crying in the wilderness?

      3. @ Laura.

        The “corn syrup subsidy” you refer to is basically the corn growers subsidy set up by President Nixon and Earl Butts. The idea of subsidizing corn production was to eliminate the gross expenses for raising such a nutrient greedy crop and to offset the fluctuations of the annual yields and profits of the farmers. It was all an effort to create a special need for corn in other countries so that our corn crop could be a world-wide commodity and a “tool” for diplomacy. Our dominance in world-wide corn production could be used in gifting or forcing other country’s to our will.

        Taking advantage of the now dirt-cheap prices of corn, researchers began to find more and more uses for corn. Thus syrup, high fructose corn syrup, and wide ranging applications from drywall to bio-fuel. Eventually corn became present in a vast majority of products. This is a Frankenstein monster of sort considering its all pervading presence. The vast amounts of Omega 6 corn products creates an imbalance to the ideal Omega 3 ratio, likely causing more joint inflammation than in any previous generation of Americans. Certainly Corn has become complicit in America’s obesity rate.

  7. This is horrible but many of the vegetable soups are also made with chicken broth. That’s why you have to read every label. I’m so glad I don’t consume any of these products anyway.

  8. I do find it quite interesting that V8 in Canada has ingredients listed differently. As well, it is not called 100% juice it is called Vegetable Cocktail as in addition to the juices it has “salt and seasonings”. The label 100% juice can only be used here if there are no other ingredients.

  9. Ew. How F’ing gross! I was never a fan of this juice, because I thought it tasted gross anyway, but now I don’t even want to consume anything from them. Funny thing is I saw someone just recently repping some Cambels gear (tote bag). I wonder how would they feel about this now lol

  10. I love the work that you do and the things that you find out. I was a little disappointed in the title of the email that you sent and the content of the article. You make it sound like there’s animal parts floating in the beverage. While I agree with you that any type of animal product in a supposedly 100% vegetable drink should be listed on the ingredients I don’t like the over the top shock factor you went with on this one.
    Keep up the great work!!!

    1. Christy, I had the same thought. I 100% do not agree that they should be labeling it 100% vegetable juice since there are additional ingredients, but I also do assume that “natural flavoring” can include a variety of things–and that can include animal products.

  11. I used to drink celestial seasonings tea every day- until I saw NATURAL FLAVORS in the ingredients– knowing that is a cover for things that shouldn’t be in there, I called the company and sent them e mails asking what the natural flavors were— and if they were harmless, why didn’t they just list them along with all the other ingredients that were NAMED……. they refused to tell me what the NATURAL FLAVORS in their teas were..

    so I haven’t had any since.

  12. A friend used to stock at a store and would tell me about how she’d look at the bottom of the V8 containers and there’d be chunks of black stuff (mold?) Who knows .. This stuff is gross to begin with.

  13. Amazing. I just called them and confirmed this report. Horrible. There go my bloody mary’s with V8.

  14. Unbelievable! I have drank V8 for YEARS… I’m about dump out what I have in the fridge and never buy V8 again!
    Thanks for the receipt, going to try it tonight…

  15. Thanks Vani for exposing this. Campbell’s doesn’t have any good product… their soups are no good, their juices are no good. They are slowly getting into organic sauce, juice, and even soup… but how can you trust them? You can’t! They have done the “wrong” thing for decades. No way we can trust them now. Big Food / Big Chemical is trying to lower and destroy the organic standards by lobbying and influencing the USDA and the OTA (Organic Trade Association).

  16. No surprises for me. I stop buying gmo products for years and don’t miss them at all. These companies are for profit period, not socially conscience. When people figure this out, they’ll stop lining the coffers of the multiconglomerates.

    Ignorance isn’t bliss, now is it?

  17. The FDA is a joke. It is evident they don’t care about Clean food. Limk on Google states FDA ADMITS CANCER CAUSING ARSENIC IN CHICKEN……FDA AWARE THAT BLOOD , PUS AND. CANCER CAUSING INGREDIENTS IN MILK….RODENT URINE AND ROACHES ABOVE FDA ACCEPTED LEVELS IN FLOUR AND MEAL….SO i am not surprised about the filth of V8…..no wonder the taste is terrible. They are making fools of us.

  18. If you really want to hurt them, just stop buying their products. You can make things yourself and you’ll be healthier and happier for it. Learn to be self reliant.

    We have to re-educate the world and teach people they deserve better and should expect more from the products they buy. These companies must stop their lying and deceptive marketing practices and hiding things in the label or leaving things out (gmo). It’s sad that “100%” and “Natural” do not mean that. These companies have proven that we cannot simply trust and verify. We have to doubt and verify.

    I want to thank Vani on all her hard work at bringing to light these companies and exposing their greedy unscrupulous practices with profit as their driving force instead of doing right by the consumer. Kudos to all of the companies that are doing this on their own without being forced to.

  19. Thanks for sharing that wonderful recipe. I always avoid anything with “natural flavours or flavouring” you’re right it could be anything. The whole concept is to hoodwink the general public into believing what they’re eating is good for the body, hence using the term “natural”.

  20. They won’t care. There are plenty of fat people who care more about flavor than substance. Unless they are willing to take a financial hit by becoming organic yet retaining their flavor, I don’t think a vocal minority will dissuade them.

  21. That is just disgusting. I’m not vegan, but I still don’t want animal “products” in my vegetable juice. It’s getting to the point that we rarely eat anything that I have not made myself anymore. You just can’t trust these food labels.

  22. Amazing tha Campbell’s twitter handle is championdumonde ie Champion of the People”…. intentional irony??

  23. This really makes me angry. I am not a vegan, but a vegetarian. I, like most of the 60’s 70’s generation grew up on Campbells. When switching to a veg diet, I still enjoyed a bowl of VEGETARIAN VEGETABLE soup, never thinking there were any hidden animal parts. Why would I? This is so deceptive. Likewise with V-8. I’ll just stick with Amy’s etc. from now on. Why do these companies have so much trouble with thee truth?

  24. So disappointing, but not surprising given the track record of mega food brands. I’ve already banned all Campbell soups in our house since most contain MSG, even their chicken noodle soups meant for kids (e.g., Chicken and Stars, etc). Rock on Food Babe and thanks for keeping us in the know!!!

  25. I just called the customer service line and complained! The lady on the phone was caught soo off guard. She tried to offer me coupons and then realized they have no vegan options for me.

  26. It use to be that we the taxpayers funded the FDA, but several years ago the congress, FDA and the companies demanded that the companies fund the FDA. So who is protecting who ? The FDA is out for themselves and the companies that pay them , NOT the American people.
    The best thing to do is consume nothing but Organic foods, but it’s really up to you to investigate what you are eating and drinking. Always ask questions !

  27. I love you, Food Babe! You are so omnipresent in my quest for truth and honesty in our food supply! You go girl!
    Loved your adventure at the St. Regis! That’s my neighborhood!
    Thank you for all you do!
    Christine

  28. Thank you for the information. I just dumped the whole bottle of V8 down
    the sink. Never again…..

  29. What would be in their tomato soup? (a former guilty pleasure). I will make my own with the beautiful tomatoes I grew in my garden! I know what I use in my garden…

  30. Hi there, It’s Anna here from Campbell Soup. We saw this post and wanted to set the record straight. V8 100% Vegetable Juice IS vegetarian and uses natural flavorings derived from plants and vegetables. Also, our Tomato Soup is vegetarian. Our care team got this information wrong on Twitter. We apologize for any confusion.

    1. Anna,
      1. At this point, Campbell will need to prove your claim via independent laboratory analyses.
      2. Is Campbell a member of the GMA? If so, they’ve contributed to defeat the labeling of GMO-derived ingredients in CA and WA. That is sufficient for a 100% boycott in itself.
      3. a) What EXACTLY are “natural flavorings derived from plants and vegetables”?
      b) What process(es) are used to “derive” these flavorings?

      Thank you in advance for your reply.

    2. If this is true, then your company should come out publicly and state EXACTLY what natural flavorings means.

    3. You state that it is vegetarian, but what a lot of us want to know is whether or not it is vegan.

    4. So, it is VEGETARIAN or VEGAN? There is a HUGE difference. 100% vegetable juice needs to mean 100% Vegetables.

    5. One reason it’s not vegan is because the USDA and FDA allows a certain number of maggots, insect parts and rodent droppings in canned tomato products and other processed foods. See this article:

      http://mix941fm.cbslocal.com/2011/05/19/fda-guidelines-maggots-insect-parts-and-rat-droppings/

      This is probably one of the reasons Campbell’s and other companies refuse to be transparent and hide behind the lingo of “proprietary information” in their non-disclosure of facts. Just part of a corporate smoke and mirrors show to make people think they are buying wholesome products when in fact they are buying products laden with pesticide residues, GMO’s and toxins leached from Bisphenol-A lined cans. I wouldn’t even feed Campbell’s products to my dog, let alone my family.

  31. I am against labeling anything so vaguely as to say ‘natural flavorings’, or ‘spices’, etc. To label like that is almost worthless! Leaving at that for now so that I don’t start ranting. Its all just ridiculous!

  32. Why the US is not labling all Food , like it is the Law in my Home Country Germany and throught out Europe? I have been asking me that since a long time.
    I hope some Day the US will wake up, before it is to late

  33. I’ trying to wrap my mind around as to “why” use animal parts in juice?.. a filler?..can’t be for flavor and, are these parts at least cooked prior to use?.

    Luckily, I don’t care for tomato juice but, that doesn’t mean they dont use these parts in other juices. Yeuck.

    1. Animal flavorings, like umami, give food that meaty, earthy taste. It probably makes the juice taste richer. Now, since mushrooms have umami, Campbell’s could probably figure out a way to use them, but it’s cheaper and easier to use animal flavoring, so that’s why they do it.

  34. All we have to know is that Campbell’s supported the defeat of GMO labeling with a HUGE amount of money. No more Campbell’s anything for me!

  35. Yet another reason to NOT drink V8. Never could stand the stuff – might try the recipe Food Babe posted tho.

  36. Dead animal parts just sounds horrible… Come to think of it, most animal parts I eat are dead… I guess it’s better than having live animal parts in there…
    Just trying to lighten it up a little. No V8 for me!

    1. I wouldn’t be so sure about that. I take it you are European where certain GMO’s are not allowed for sale for human consumption and others must be labeled? Here’s a bit of news for you. The US government is now putting pressure on EU countries to drop their GMO labeling requirements or face trade sanctions. It’s a pretty sure bet that not only won’t we in America get honest labeling on our food, but you over there may lose yours.

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