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 perfect for Easter baskets and candy jars alike. Their bright colors and varied flavors make them an iconic treat But if you follow a vegetarian, vegan, or pork-free diet, you may be wondering – are jelly beans made of pork? Let’s dig into the surprising ingredients that go into jelly bean production.
The Short Answer
The good news is that jelly beans today are not made of pork Most major jelly bean brands like Jelly Belly and Starburst do not use pork or other animal-derived ingredients like gelatin or fat Instead, they are pectin or starch-based and safe for vegetarians and those avoiding pork. However, some specialty old-fashioned or gourmet jelly beans may contain non-vegetarian ingredients.
Traditional Jelly Bean Recipes Used Pork Parts
Traditionally, jelly beans did once contain traces of pork and other animal products. In the late 19th century, jelly beans were known as “butter beans” and were made by boiling down pig or cattle hooves to extract gelatin. This gelatin set the beans. Later recipes used lard. These early recipes produced jelly beans with a juicy, melt-in-your-mouth texture. However, vegetarians obviously could not partake in these early candies.
How Modern Jelly Beans Are Made
Thankfully, jelly bean production today has moved away from pork and animal byproducts. Here’s an overview of the modern manufacturing process:
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Step 1 – The “jelly” center is made by mixing sweeteners like sugar and corn syrup with starch, pectin, flavorings, and colors. No pork or gelatin needed.
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Step 2 – The jelly mixture is de-aerated to remove bubbles and poured into tiny molds or extruders that shape each bean.
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Step 3 – Excess starch is added to coat the outside of the jelly beans while still in the molds. This keeps them from sticking together.
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Step 4 – The beans are emptied from the molds, coated with confectioner’s glaze, and packaged when ready.
Nowadays, pig-derived ingredients have been replaced with vegetarian alternatives like citrus pectin, fruit pectin, and starch from crops like corn, wheat or rice. These give the beans their gummy, chewy texture without relying on animal products.
A Note on Common Jelly Bean Ingredients
While jelly beans today are pork-free, it’s still smart to read the label and watch for non-vegan ingredients:
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Sugar – Typically from beets or cane. Vegan.
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Corn syrup – Adds chewiness. Vegan.
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Fruit juices – For flavor and color. Vegan.
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Pectin – Plant-based gelling agent. Vegan.
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Carnauba wax – Alternative to beeswax. Vegan.
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Beeswax or shellac – Used for the shiny glaze. Avoid if vegan.
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Artificial colors – Derived from petroleum or coal sources. Vegan.
As long as the beans are clear of beeswax and confectioner’s glaze, which can contain shellac, they should be vegetarian, vegan and pork-free. Still, diligent label reading is advised if avoiding all animal derivatives.
Popular Brands of Jelly Beans
Today’s leading jelly bean brands use pectin instead of pork gelatin, making them vegetarian, halal, and kosher:
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Jelly Belly – Uses pectin, corn syrup, and artificial colors. No pork or beeswax. They monitor facilities to avoid cross-contamination with allergens.
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Starburst Jelly Beans – Similar vegan-friendly formula as regular Starburst candies. No pork-derived gelatin.
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Brach’s – Uses pectin instead of gelatin. Brach’s jelly beans are OU Kosher certified, indicating no meat derivatives.
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Goelitz – This nostalgic brand avoids gelatin in favor of pectin as well. No confectioner’s glaze on most varieties.
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Russell Stover – Also makes their jelly beans with kosher, vegetarian-safe ingredients.
You can enjoy these top brands of jelly beans even if you don’t eat pork for religious, personal, or allergy-related reasons.
Specialty Jelly Beans – Watch for Hidden Ingredients!
While mainstream jelly beans are pork and gelatin-free, some gourmet, retro-style, or specialty beans may contain non-vegetarian ingredients for an old-fashioned texture. Terms to watch for:
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Gelatin – Indicates pork or beef derivatives.
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Confectioner’s glaze – May contain shellac from beetle secretions.
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Lard – Rendered pork fat.
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Tallow – Rendered beef fat.
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Beeswax – Avoid if following a vegan diet.
If a product doesn’t specify “vegetarian” or “no pork”, send an email or call the manufacturer to check if unsure. Don’t just assume it’s pork-free.
Can Vegetarians Eat Jelly Beans?
The good news is that vegetarians can definitely indulge in mainstream jelly bean brands like Jelly Belly, which are completely free of meat, pork, and bone-derived gelatin. Double check that confectioner’s glaze wasn’t used, or look for a vegetarian label. As long as they avoid specialty beans with hidden animal ingredients, vegetarians can enjoy jelly beans without compromises.
Jelly Beans for Vegans
For vegans, additional care must be taken, as some jelly beans contain beeswax or confectioner’s glaze with shellac. Again, leading brands like Jelly Belly and Starburst make select vegan jelly beans. Or try organic brands that avoid these animal-derived coatings. With a careful inspection of ingredients, vegans can find jelly beans to satisfy their craving.
The takeaway? When it comes to jelly beans today, pork is not on the ingredient list! Thanks to pectin and starch replacing gelatin, most major jelly beans are vegetarian, halal, kosher, and vegan-friendly. Nonetheless, always check labels or contact manufacturers, particularly for gourmet or retro candy brands. Then you can enjoy jelly beans without compromising your diet or values.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did jelly beans originally contain pork?
In the late 1800s, jelly beans used pig or cattle hooves to provide the gelatin that gave the chewy texture. Later recipes relied on pork fat. Today’s pectin and starch substitutes provide the same gummy consistency without animal ingredients.
Do Kosher jelly beans contain pork?
No. Kosher products adhere to Jewish dietary laws and do not mix meat with dairy. Kosher jelly beans are pork-free and made without animal derivatives like gelatin. They use pectin instead.
Can Muslims eat mainstream jelly beans?
Yes. Muslims who follow halal dietary laws that prohibit pork can safely enjoy major brands of jelly beans that do not contain haram ingredients like pork-derived gelatin or lard.
Should vegans check labels before eating jelly beans?
Yes. While the jelly bean centers are normally vegan, some brands use confectioner’s glaze containing shellac or beeswax, which vegans should avoid. Checking labels is advised.
What gives jelly beans their chewy texture without gelatin?
Modern jelly beans get their gummy, chewy texture from plant-based ingredients like fruit pectin, starch from rice or corn, or locust bean gum. No pork gelatin needed!
Are Starburst jelly beans vegan?
Yes! Starburst jelly beans are free of gelatin, so they are suitable for vegetarians and vegans. Starburst uses pectin for the gummy texture instead of animal ingredients.
The takeaway? Thanks to new innovations like pectin, most mainstream jelly beans today are totally pork and animal product-free. With a quick label check, you can enjoy jelly beans regardless of your dietary lifestyle!
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.