Shellac is a natural resin that comes from tiny insects harvested off tree branches in India. Indians have valued the bug for 3,000 years for its versatility. Once processed and melted, shellac can be used as a powerful red dye, a glossy wood finisher, and a shiny coating to citrus fruit and candies such as jelly beans, Whoppers, and Junior Mints. But the farmers who have depended on these miniature bugs for generations say their crops are at risk.

MORE BIG BUSINESS VIDEOS:
How Pizza Giant Papa Johns Makes 4 Million Dough Balls A Week | Big Business | Business Insider
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RXObjS639M
How Dutch Gouda Cheese Is Made On A 150-Year-Old Family Farm | Big Business
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXNTwWGNrE4
19 Fascinating Jobs You Might Not Know About | Big Business Marathon | Business Insider
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaJyT0Txj0I

0:00 - Intro
0:59 - How Lac Bugs Are Harvested
2:48 - How The Factory Makes Shellac
5:31 - How Workers Use Their Teeth To Make Sheets
7:03 - How Shellac Became A Huge Industry
8:30 - The Future Of Shellac
9:58 - Credits

------------------------------------------------------
#candy #shellac #businessinsider

Business Insider tells you all you need to know about business, finance, tech, retail, and more.

Visit our homepage for the top stories of the day: https://www.businessinsider.com
Business Insider on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/businessinsider Business Insider on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/insiderbusiness Business Insider on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/businessinsider
Business Insider on Snapchat: https://www.snapchat.com/disco....ver/Business_Insider
Business Insider on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@businessinsider

Why Melted Bugs On Candy And Lemons Fuel A $167 Million Industry | Big Business | Business Insider