Wikipedia says that Laffy Taffy is a brand of candy that was first made in the 1970s as “Beich’s Caramels,” but they were actually fruit-flavored taffy squares. Later, the original company changed the name of the product to “Beich’s Laffy Taffy.” This happened a few years before Nestlé bought the rights to distribute the line of products and then bought the whole line. You can get the candies in a chocolate mousse flavor as well as artificial fruit flavors like strawberry, banana, green apple, grape, and blueberry. ’ While all these flavors sound vegan friendly, is Laffy Taffy vegan?.
A full vegan-friendly analysis of each Laffy Taffy variety can be found in the following sections.
Before we begin our vegan analysis, we’d like to bring to your attention the ingredients that may cause some to question whether or not they are vegan. We think these ingredients are vegan, but we will still call them out if they show up in any posted ingredient lists. These controversial ingredients include:
In almost all candy products, one of the first few ingredients is Sugar. Vegans don’t like sugar because bone char is used to make refined cane sugar white. There are no bone char particles in the sugar itself, but it is not vegan because of how it was made. Since the type of sugar is typically not stated, it is assumed to be vegan in this analysis. If you choose to avoid non-vegan sugars than all of the products in this analysis should be avoided. If you want to know for sure if sugar is vegan, read our article called “Is Your Sugar Vegan? Lets Find Out!”
Palm oil is a controversial vegan ingredient not because it comes from animals, but because growing palm oil is very bad for the environment and hurts a lot of animals. You can learn more about palm oil in our article titled “Is Palm Oil Vegan?“.
Natural flavors can come from either plants or animals, but most of the time, animal flavors are used in candy. Those natural flavors from animal-origin will be highlighted if known.
Some food colors are controversial in the vegan community. This is because food colors are often tested on animals. Within this article, we think that all food colors are vegan, unless the color itself comes from an animal or insect source (e.g. g. Carmine).
Laffy Taffy is a chewy, fruit-flavored candy that has been around since the 1970s. With its stretchy texture and fun flavors like banana strawberry and watermelon, it’s a nostalgic treat for many. But some people wonder – does Laffy Taffy contain pork? Let’s take a closer look.
A Brief History of Laffy Taffy
Laffy Taffy was first produced in the 1970s by Nestlé under their Willy Wonka candy brand. The name “Laffy Taffy” refers to the silly jokes printed on each wrapper.
In 1988, Nestlé sold Willy Wonka brand candies, including Laffy Taffy to the Breaker Confections company. Breaker was later acquired by Ferrara Candy Company who continues to make Laffy Taffy today.
Over the years, Laffy Taffy has expanded beyond the classic rectangular bars to include bite-size, rope, and jelly bean forms as well as new flavors like sour apple, grape, and watermelon.
Why Do People Wonder If Laffy Taffy Contains Pork?
The suspicion that Laffy Taffy contains pork stems from the fact that many gummy candies use an ingredient called gelatin. Gelatin is a protein obtained by boiling animal skin, tendons, ligaments, and/or bones. It gives gummy candies their characteristic chewy texture.
The most common sources of gelatin are pork and cattle. For people avoiding pork for religious, ethical, or dietary reasons, ingredients derived from pork are problematic. This includes pork-based gelatin.
So does Laffy Taffy actually contain pork gelatin? Let’s check the ingredients list.
Examining the Laffy Taffy Ingredients List
Here are the ingredients commonly found in Original Laffy Taffy, according to the manufacturer:
- Corn syrup
- Sugar
- Palm oil
- Confectioner’s glaze
- Soy lecithin
- Natural and artificial flavors
- Artificial colors (Red 40, Yellow 6, Blue 1)
Two things stand out when examining this list.
First, pork gelatin is not listed as an ingredient. The only animal-derived ingredient is confectioner’s glaze, which is made from shellac resin secreted by female lac bugs. Vegetarians may take issue with confectioner’s glaze, but it’s not pork.
Second, Laffy Taffy contains no gelling or thickening agents like gelatin. Instead, the chewy texture probably comes from the combination of corn syrup, fats, and sugars. Soy lecithin may also help provide a smooth, flexible gummy texture.
So the original Laffy Taffy bars appear to be pork-free, according to the ingredients label. But what about other Laffy Taffy products?
Other Laffy Taffy Products and Pork Ingredients
While the classic Laffy Taffy bars don’t contain pork gelatin, some other products under the Laffy Taffy brand do contain this ingredient.
For example, Laffy Taffy Ropes list both gelatin and pork gelatin on the label. Laffy Taffy Minis and Laffy Taffy Thin & Stretched bars also contain pork gelatin.
On the other hand, many of the Laffy Taffy Fun Size candies, which are miniature versions of the classic bars, do not contain gelatin at all according to their ingredients labels. This makes them pork-free.
The takeaway? You’ll have to check the ingredients list for each specific Laffy Taffy product if you want to avoid pork ingredients. The classic bars and many fun size bars appear to be gelatin-free and pork-free. But Laffy Taffy Ropes, Minis, and Thin & Stretched contain pork gelatin.
Vegan Alternatives to Laffy Taffy
For those avoiding all animal ingredients, Laffy Taffy is off the table due to the confectioner’s glaze. Here are some delicious vegan gummy candies to consider instead:
- Surf Sweets Organic Fruity Bears
- Annie’s Organic Bunny Tummies
- Black Forest Organic Gummy Bears
- Trolli Sour Brite Crawlers
These gelatin-free, plant-based candies will satisfy your chewy candy cravings without the animal products. There are also many DIY recipes for homemade vegan gummy bears using ingredients like fruit juice, agar agar, and pectin.
The Bottom Line
While some Laffy Taffy products do contain pork gelatin, the classic rectangular bars appear to be free of this animal ingredient. However, vegetarians may want to avoid confectioner’s glaze in Laffy Taffy’s ingredients list.
To enjoy pork-free chewy candies, look for “original” Laffy Taffy bars, many of the Fun Size bars, or the vegan gummy alternatives mentioned. With a careful read of ingredients lists, you can keep enjoying this nostalgic candy while sticking to your diet and ethics.
Laffy Taffy Rope Ingredients
Corn Syrup, Sugar, Palm Oil, And Less Than 2% of Mono- And Diglycerides, Hydrogenated Cottonseed Oil, Malic Acid, Salt, Soy Lecithin, Artificial Flavors, Blue 1, Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6. [Source]
Are Laffy Taffy Ropes Vegan?
As they have the same ingredients as their mini counterparts, Laffy Taffy Ropes are also vegan!
How to make “ Prison Style” Laffy Taffy
FAQ
Does Laffy Taffy have gelatin in it?
What candy has pork in it?
What ingredients are in Laffy Taffy?
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