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What sweets have pork gelatine?
Gelatine on a sweet label rarely says which animal it came from. For anyone avoiding pork, that is a problem. Here is what is known about some well known brands, and how to find out for sure.
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Many chewy sweets are made with gelatine, and a lot of gelatine comes from pigs. The difficulty is that sweet labels often list it simply as gelatine, without saying which animal it came from. For Muslims, Jews and anyone else avoiding pork, that means reading carefully and sometimes asking the maker.
Why pork gelatine is so common
Gelatine is made from the collagen in animal skin, bones and connective tissue, as a by product of the meat and leather industries. Most gelatine comes from pork skins, pork and cattle bones, or split cattle hides. Gelatine is what gives many gummy and jelly sweets their chew: see what is gelatine made from?
What is known about some brands
- Haribo. Standard Haribo Goldbears are made with pork gelatine. Haribo makes a halal certified Goldbear with beef gelatine, only at its factory in Turkey, and a kosher version too: see is Haribo made from pig?
- Maynards Bassetts and other Mondelez sweets. In July 2016 Mondelez announced that its sweets would in future contain either beef or pork gelatine, listed on the pack simply as gelatine, to secure flexibility of supply. It asked people to make Muslim communities aware of the change. So sweets such as Maynards wine gums and Bassett's Jelly Babies may contain pork gelatine: see are wine gums halal?
- Percy Pig. Marks and Spencer's Percy Pigs originally contained real pig, in the form of pork gelatine. They became gelatine free in May 2019 and vegan in 2022.
Recipes change, and different countries can have different recipes, so check the current pack.
How to avoid pork gelatine
- Look for halal or kosher certification. Certified sweets use gelatine from permitted animals, slaughtered according to religious law, or no gelatine at all.
- Look for vegetarian or vegan labels. These rule out gelatine altogether, because gelatine comes from slaughtered animals.
- Choose sweets made with plant gelling agents. Pectin, starch and agar set sweets without animal products: see what sweets are gelatine free?
- Ask the maker. If a pack just says gelatine, the manufacturer should be able to tell you its source.
Fish and beef gelatine
Not all gelatine is pork. Some is made from cattle, and some from fish, which avoids some of the religious objections to gelatine. Beef gelatine is only halal if it comes from animals slaughtered according to Islamic law: see what sweets are halal in the UK?
We sell halal golden bears and vegan gummy bears in our pick and mix, for customers who avoid pork gelatine.
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Questions and answers
Do Haribo sweets have pork gelatine?
Standard Haribo Goldbears are made with pork gelatine. Haribo makes a halal certified version with beef gelatine in Turkey. Other Haribo products vary, so check the ingredients and look for halal, vegetarian or vegan labels.
Do Jelly Babies and wine gums have pork gelatine?
They may. In 2016 Mondelez, which owns Maynards Bassetts, said its sweets would contain either beef or pork gelatine, listed simply as gelatine, to give it flexibility of supply. Unless the pack says otherwise, you cannot assume it is beef.
How can I tell if gelatine is pork?
Usually you cannot from the ingredients list, because gelatine is often listed without its source. Look for halal or kosher certification, or for vegetarian or vegan labels, which rule out gelatine altogether, or ask the manufacturer.
Sources
- Haribo, Wikipedia
- UK: Mondelez announces their products may contain porcine gelatine, Halal Focus
- Percy Pig, Wikipedia
- Gelatin, Wikipedia
- Gummy bear, Wikipedia
Keep reading
- Questions people askIs Haribo made from pig?Standard Haribo Goldbears are made with pork gelatine, so they are not vegetarian, halal or kosher. Haribo makes halal and kosher versions.
- Questions people askAre gummy bears made from pigs?Many are. Classic gummy bears get their chew from gelatine, and most gelatine comes from pork skin, bones or cattle hides. Some bears use plant gels.
- Questions people askWhat sweets are halal in the UK?Look for halal certification. Sweets with pork gelatine are not halal, and some brands' gelatine may be pork. Also check for carmine and alcohol.
- Questions people askWhat sweets are gelatine free?Boiled sweets, rock and sherbet rarely need gelatine, and some chewy sweets have dropped it, from Fruit Pastilles to Percy Pigs. How to check.
- Questions people askWhat is gelatine made from?Gelatine is made from collagen from animal skin, bones and connective tissue, mostly pigs and cattle. Why it matters for vegetarians, Muslims and Jews.
- Questions people askAre wine gums halal?Wine gums contain no alcohol, but they usually contain gelatine, which may come from pigs. What that means for halal diets, and the 2016 Mondelez change.