It’s Veganuary! If you’re taking part or know someone who is, you’re probably looking for snacks that are vegan-friendly. But are jelly beans vegan?.
Veganuary is a pledge people make to go vegan for a month. There are plenty of reasons people go vegan. It can be good for your health and is a great way to cut back on red meat, which can be bad for you if you eat too much of it.
Veganuary promotes healthy eating. You can get more nutrients and vitamins by eating more vegetables and high-protein meat alternatives. Besides that, it helps you eat less dairy and tells you to cut down on snacks or switch to vegan, healthy snacks.
A lot of snacks aren’t vegan. Most salty snacks are covered in milk powder, which means they are not vegan-friendly. Also, many sweet snacks contain gelatine, which comes from animals and is not vegan- or vegetarian-friendly.
Jelly beans are a beloved candy for many people. Their bright colors and range of flavors make them an appealing treat. However, if you avoid pork for dietary, religious, or ethical reasons, you may wonder – is there pork in jelly beans?
The Short Answer
The short answer is: most jelly beans do not contain pork ingredients. Traditional jelly beans are made with a pectin or starch-based gel, not animal-derived gelatin. However, some specialty jelly beans may contain gelatin made from pork.
Gelatin as an Ingredient
Gelatin is a common ingredient used to give gummy candies their characteristic chewy texture. It is made by boiling animal parts like skin, bones, and connective tissue. The most common sources of gelatin are pigs and cows.
For people avoiding pork, gelatin is generally not considered halal or kosher Individuals following a vegetarian, vegan, or halal or kosher diet need to avoid gelatin in their foods
Traditional Jelly Beans are Gelatin-Free
Jelly beans from most major candy brands do not contain gelatin, Traditional jelly bean recipes use pectin from fruit or starches from vegetables to set the candies Pectin and starch allow jelly beans to achieve their signature gummy yet firm bite without the use of animal ingredients
Popular jelly bean manufacturers like Jelly Belly state their classic jelly beans are gelatin-free, making them suitable for vegetarian diets. Their ingredients are listed as sugar, corn syrup, and food starch thickened with pectin.
Some Specialty Jelly Beans Contain Gelatin
While classic jelly beans avoid gelatin, some specialty gourmet or artisanal varieties do include this pork-derived ingredient. Small batch jelly beans may use gelatin to create unique textures and mouthfeels.
Always check the label closely since specialty jelly bean ingredients can vary greatly between brands. Phrases like “gourmet recipe” “classic recipe” or “original recipe” on the label often indicate gelatin is used.
Risk of Cross-Contamination
Even if the jelly bean ingredients seem pork-free, there is a small chance of cross-contamination at manufacturing facilities. Equipment used to make gelatin-containing candies may also be used for pectin or starch-based jelly beans.
Those with severe pork allergies may want to call the jelly bean company to ask about manufacturing practices before consuming the candy. Some brands do label their vegetarian jelly beans as being produced on shared equipment.
How to Choose Pork-Free Jelly Beans
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Read the ingredients list and avoid any jelly beans listing gelatin.
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Look for vegetarian or halal certification symbols on the packaging.
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Opt for major mainstream brands like Jelly Belly, which avoid gelatin in their classic recipes.
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Contact the manufacturer if you have serious dietary restrictions or allergies.
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Make your own homemade jelly beans with pectin, fruit juice, and starch.
The Takeaway
Most standard jelly beans avoid pork-derived gelatin, though specialty gourmet varieties may include it. Traditional jelly beans use pectin instead to create their chewy gummy texture. However, tiny amounts of cross-contamination are possible when gelatin is processed in the same facilities. Overall, classic jelly beans from major brands can be safely enjoyed by those avoiding pork – just remember to check the ingredients first!
Are Jelly Beans Vegan?
You might be wondering what makes something vegan? Well, vegan friendly food does not contain food made from animal products or by products. An animal product is something made from an animal, like meat, gravy or gelatine, and an animal has to die for it to be made. An animal by-product is something that is acquired from an animal, like honey and milk, but this doesn’t mean the animal has to be killed or harmed in order to obtain it.
These foods are fine for vegetarians to eat as long as the animal didn’t have to die for them to be eaten. Vegans, on the other hand, don’t like to eat animal products because animals are hurt or have to live in bad conditions so that we can get these things.
Sadly, The Jelly Bean Factory jelly beans are not vegan. It is very important to us that our beans are accessible to everyone. While we don’t use animal products in our beans, we do use an animal by-product.
Shellac is a substance we use to get that shiny, glossy finish on the crunchy outer coatings of our beans. Shellac is an animal by-product of beetles. Although we try as hard as we can to make sure no beetles are harmed during the extraction process, it’s impossible to say if they are harmed or not. Hopefully, no beetles are harmed in the harvesting of Shellac, but because we cannot say for sure we have decided not to label our product as vegan.
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FAQ
Do jelly beans contain gelatin?
Does jelly have pork in it?
Are jelly beans halal?
Do jelly beans have meat in them?