Tuna, a type of cactus, growing in fields in Arequipa Province, Peru
For centuries Cochineal has been prized for its colour for dying fabric and now is commonly used in food products as a ‘natural’ food colouring. You can find it in ingredients lists, called carmine, or E120. Here are some photos from the production…
The white patches are colonies of cochineal insects
The insects are scraped off the cactus and boiled to kill them. Then they are dried….
Cochineal traders line the roads, who buy and sell 'fresh and dry' cochineal
There is a nice by-product of this industry – the Tuna fruit. These ra the fruit of the cactus and are sold in the shops but only after the spikes have been removed. It has soft, juicy red flesh and is popular as a juice. It has a delicious flavour, which you might think of as like watermelon but stronger. So if someone offers you some ‘Tuna Juice’ don’t worry its not fish, its a lovely drink 
Irrigations outside Arequipa are popular places to find tuna fields, there are a lot of cochineal traders and I imagine that the prize that they is not bad.
Tags: Farming, Food, Traditions