# Gummy bears

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## Summary

Gummy bears compared: Haribo Goldbears made with gelatine, halal bears with beef gelatine, and vegan bears set with pectin and starch, wheat included.

## Description

Gummy bears are small, chewy, bear shaped sweets. Hans Riegel, who founded Haribo in Bonn, made the first ones in 1922 and called them Dancing Bears; Haribo says its Goldbears have been around for over 100 years: see Hans Riegel and the gummy bear and why are gummy bears shaped like bears?
Three recipes, three diets
Haribo Goldbears, as listed by Haribo UK. Glucose syrup, sugar, gelatine, dextrose, fruit juice from concentrate (apple, raspberry, strawberry, orange, lemon and pineapple), citric acid, sunflower oil, fruit and plant concentrates (safflower, spirulina, apple, elderberry, orange, blackcurrant, kiwi, lemon, aronia, mango, grape and passion fruit), flavouring, elderberry extract, and beeswax as a glaze.
Halal Teddy Bears, as listed by Sweets and Candy. Glucose syrup, sugar, corn starch, beef gelatine, apple juice concentrate, citric acid, flavourings, palm oil, apple, radish, blackcurrant and black carrot concentrates, carnauba wax and beeswax, and the colours lutein, paprika extract and copper chlorophyllins. The retailer says they are made with certified halal gelatine.
Vegan Teddy Bears, as listed by Sweets and Candy. Glucose syrup, sugar, modified starch, wheat starch, pectin, citric acid, the colours E100, E141 and E160c, black carrot juice, flavouring, coconut oil, and carnauba wax as a glaze. The retailer labels them vegan and suitable for vegetarians.
What changes between them
The gelling agent. Goldbears and the halal bears are set with gelatine; the vegan bears with pectin and starch: see how are gummy bears made?The gelatine's source. Standard Haribo Goldbears are made with pork gelatine, so they are not halal, kosher or vegetarian. The halal bears use certified halal beef gelatine: see is Haribo made from pig? and are gummy bears made from pigs?The glaze. Goldbears and the halal bears are glazed with beeswax. The vegan bears use carnauba wax, from a palm tree, instead: see what is beeswax on sweets?Wheat. The vegan bears contain wheat starch, so they are not suitable for anyone who must avoid wheat or gluten. The halal bears may contain gluten, the retailer says: see wheat in sweets
The colours
None of the three uses the six colours that carry a warning for children. Goldbears get their colours from fruit juices and plant concentrates; the halal bears from lutein, paprika extract and copper chlorophyllins; and the vegan bears from curcumin (E100), copper chlorophyll (E141), paprika extract (E160c) and black carrot juice: see natural colours in sweets
In our pick and mix
We sell SW001, SW011 and SW012 by the 100 g. Recipes differ between makers, so each card opens up to show the full ingredients and allergens for the gummy bears we actually stock.

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