Twizzlers holds a special place in the hearts and stomachs of candy lovers. This chewy, rope-like candy has been enjoyed for decades in a variety of fruity flavors and formations. But for those avoiding pork products a concerning question arises – does Twizzlers contain pork? Let’s unravel the truth behind this iconic candy’s ingredients.
Why Would Twizzlers Contain Pork in the First Place?
It’s not as uncommon as you might think for candies, even ones that taste like fruit or licorice, to contain pork products. The main pork derivative found in certain gummy and chewy candies is gelatin.
Animal parts like skin, bones, and connective tissues are boiled to make gelatin. Pigs and cows are the most common animals used. It’s added to foods like Jello and sweets like marshmallows and gummy candies to help them gel and get thick;
The use of gelatin allows these products to achieve their characteristic chewy yet somewhat firm texture. Without gelatin, they would simply be sweet liquids rather than satisfyingly chewable candies.
This is why for individuals avoiding pork and other meat products it’s important to closely examine candy ingredients for hidden additives like gelatin. Which brings us back to the pressing question…
Examining the Ingredients: Does Twizzlers Contain Gelatin or Pork?
To get to the bottom of whether Twizzlers contains pork we need to take a close look at the ingredients.
According to the Twizzlers website, the primary ingredients in original Twizzlers strawberry twists are:
- Wheat flour
- Corn syrup
- Sugar
- Palm oil
- Cornstarch
- Salt
- Artificial flavoring
- Glycerin
- Soy lecithin
- Red dye #40
Reviewing this list, there is no evidence of gelatin or any other pork-derived ingredients being used in these classic Twizzlers.
Instead of animal-based gelatin, the chewy, rope-like texture of Twizzlers seems to come from a plant-based ingredient called glycerin. Glycerin is a sugar alcohol derived from vegetable oils.
The complete lack of gelatin on the label indicates that original Twizzlers strawberry twists are free from pork products. But what about other Twizzlers varieties?
Are Other Twizzlers Flavors and Styles Pork-Free?
According to Hershey’s, the manufacturer of Twizzlers, these additional Twizzlers flavors and formations are also free of pork-derived gelatin:
- Twizzlers Cherry Twist
- Twizzlers Pull ‘n’ Peel
- Twizzlers NIBS
- Twizzlers Filled Twists
- Twizzlers Bites
However, a Hershey’s customer service representative I spoke with advised double checking ingredients for other specialty Twizzlers, as some limited batch or seasonal flavors may differ.
As long as you stick with standard Twizzlers products though, you can rest assured there are no hidden pork ingredients inside the twisted candy.
Alternatives to Pork-Containing Candies
While classic Twizzlers are gelatin-free, there are many other chewy candies that do contain pork gelatin as well as other animal products. Here are a few to watch out for:
- Starburst
- Skittles
- Swedish Fish
- Haribo gummy bears
- Jelly Belly jelly beans
- Marshmallows
If you need an occasional candy fix but want to avoid gelatin, look for great vegan alternatives like:
- YumEarth gummy candies
- Surf Sweets gummy worms
- Lieber’s jelly beans
- Annie’s Homegrown Bunny Tails
- Dandies vegan marshmallows
With all the innovative vegan candy options available today, there are plenty of delicious ways to satisfy your sweet tooth without the hidden animal products.
Can You Eat Twizzlers on a Vegan or Vegetarian Diet?
Based on a careful analysis of the ingredients list, vegetarians and vegans can safely indulge in classic Twizzlers products. Since they are free of pork-derived gelatin and other animal additives, they align with a vegan or vegetarian diet.
Of course, some may question whether other ingredients like artificial colors or palm oil are ideal from a health perspective. But when occasional treats in moderation are your only concern, standard Twizzlers offer a gelatin-free candy choice.
The Verdict: Twizzlers Contain No Pork or Animal Products
After thoroughly investigating the ingredients list found on Twizzlers packages, I can definitively conclude that classic Twizzlers products contain no pork-derived gelatin or other animal ingredients.
The chewy texture in original Twizzlers strawberry and cherry varieties comes from glycerin, a plant-based additive. This makes these Twizzlers styles completely free of pork and suitable for vegetarian and vegan lifestyles.
So the next time your candy craving strikes, you can enjoy a twisty Twizzlers snack with confidence that its chewiness comes from plants, not pigs! With this sweet treat misconception officially debunked, we can indulge in moderation, free of concerns over surreptitious pork products.
But are Twizzlers Vegan?
Vegan foods are those that dont contain any animal products or byproducts. It might seem strange for animal products to be hidden in candy, especially non-chocolate candy, but byproducts are used a lot. The most commonly found animal ingredients in candy are:
- Gelatin – made from animal skin, bones, and tendons
- Bugs are used to make carmine, which is sometimes used as a red dye.
- Milk fat.
Twizzlers are tough and chewy, so one might suspect that they contain gelatin and therefore arent vegan. Are Twizzlers gelatin based? Lets take a look at the ingredients!.
- Corn syrup
- Wheat flour
- Sugar
- Cornstarch
- Palm oil
- Salt
- Artificial flavor
- Glycerin
- Citric acid
- Potassium sorbate
- Artificial color (red 40)
- Soy lecithin
*This list for the strawberry twists. Ingredients for other flavors can be found at Hershey website.
Good news for Twizzlers fans: Twizzlers don’t have gelatin in them, so vegans don’t have to worry about them.
The only potentially non-vegan ingredient on this list is glycerin, a byproduct of soap manufacture that commonly uses animal fat. Fortunately, Hershey describes their glycerin as “a food additive made from various vegetable oils.”
And while Twizzlers are red, their color does not come from carmine; in this case, the red color is red dye #40, which made without insects. To sum up, Twizzlers are vegan! You can eat them and be proud to wear your Vegan for the Animals shirt!
This vegan-friendly ingredient list means Twizzlers are frequently included on lists of vegan junk food and guides to vegan Halloween candy.
All in all, Twizzlers may be vegan, but they still have ingredients that are bad for you and the environment. Nobody expects candy to be perfectly healthy, but there are a few other issues in play here.
Twizzlers contain red dye #40 comes, which comes from petroleum distillates or coal tar, as well as palm oil which is driving deforestation and contributing to the destruction of animal habitats. Some people may also object to the corn syrup and preservatives. So all in all, may be worth your while to explore some other brands of licorice.
Other brands of licorice often have a much simpler ingredient list compared Twizzlers, and many are vegan. A lot of homemade recipes use gelatin or condensed milk to make them thick, but most store-bought brands are vegan (check the label before you buy). Here are a few vegan options to try:
Panda Licorice offers several flavors of vegan licorice. The Panda Licorice website offers the option to filter products to see only those that contain “no animal ingredients.” Beware that the licorice creams arent vegan, but the raspberry and original black licorice bites, and even the soft licorice bears, are vegan!
YumEarth proudly brands all of their candies as vegan (as well as gluten-free, kosher, no nuts, non-GMO and organic). They offer four flavors of licorice!
Newmans Own Organics Licorice claims to be, “the first licorice twist made with organic ingredients.” These licorice twists come in all sorts of flavors beyond black and cherry (including some crazy stuff like sour mango), all vegan and organic.
So there you have it – Twizzlers are suitable for vegans. Even though Twizzlers are tasty and great for when you’re on the go, there are probably better treats out there that are better for you and the environment.
If you want better licorice than Twizzlers, try some other brands. People who don’t like licorice might find that it’s not so bad after all. Just make sure to read the list of ingredients twice before you buy.
What is your favorite licorice? Have you seen a big difference between brands? Let us know in the comments! Want to make your favorite junk food at home? Check out our guides on Gushers and Oreos.
Posted by Aaron Seminoff on August 18, 2017
Twizzlers are one of Americas most popular licorice candy products. Licorice is named after the root that gives black licorice its flavor. It is usually sold as either black licorice or red licorice.
Some people might say that Twizzlers don’t taste much like real licorice because they don’t have any licorice root or extract in them. However, the fact that they don’t taste like licorice may help them become so popular, especially with kids.
As well as Twists, Pull n Peel, NIBS, Filled Twists, and Bites in cherry, black, and even chocolate flavors, they come in a lot of different shapes and flavors.
Do marshmallows have pork?
FAQ
Are Twizzlers halal in the USA?
What are Twizzlers made of?
Are all Twizzlers vegan?
Is there gelatin in Cherry Twizzlers?
Who makes Twizzlers?
Twizzlers are a licorice-type candy manufactured by Y&S Candies, Inc., of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, a division of The Hershey Company. Twizzlers were first produced in 1929 by Young and Smylie, as the company was then called. The licorice company was founded in 1845, making it one of the oldest confectionery firms in the United States.
Are Twizzlers vegan?
Strawberry Twizzlers, cherry Pull ‘n’ Peel, Bites, Twists and Nibs, black licorice Twizzlers, and chocolate flavored Twizzlers do not contain animal gelatin or other animal products, and are approved as a vegan-edible candy.
Where does Twizzlers come from?
According to Twizzlers’ parent company, Hershey, Twizzlers sources from both foreign and domestic sugar cane and sugar beet farms. Unfortunately, nutrition labels do not disclose the sourcing of sugar. Lethicin is a water-loving fat that can come from animal and non-animal sources.
Do Twizzlers taste like wheat flour?
It’s difficult to tease out the wheat flour taste in Twizzlers — but you can easily pick it out in natural licorice. Glycerin is used in Twizzlers to maintain water content. The molecule forms the backbone of fat and oil molecules. You can find glycerin in fudge and other candies, or in many soap products.