gelatine-free sweets

[mayastar]

Why do sweet manufacturers continue to use gelatine? Because of BSE lots of parents have stopped giving their children beef - do they realise that virtually every sweet has gelatine in it? We are vegetarian and I find it difficult to find a suitable sweet in our area - any suggestions?

[incitatus]

They continue to use it because there are very few reliable alternatives. The various vegetarian gelling agents do not perform as well. Boiled sweets rarely contain gelatine, nor does toffee as a rule. Chocolate doesnt if it is good quality, nor does fudge....essentialy if you avoid jellied sweets (which almost all contain it) and chews you should be ok. BSE caused a big panic, but most of the gelatine used by sweet manufacturers comes from places like argentina, where there wasn't any bse to start off with. Also gelatine is a very poor transmitter of prion diseases due to the way it is extracted, so relatively safe even from infected herds. For alternative, meat free sweets contact the Vegetarian Society

[Janetx]

Agar Agar is the marine plant alternative to gelatine. It is used predominantly in asian and indian type jelied sweets, mainly because it sets at a warm temperature. I also buy it in a packet to make my own. I'm sure it must be available near you.

[creative1290]

Watch out for E120 (cochineal) in some sweets - this is made from the bodies of crushed insects. Also, some chocolates contain non vegetarian whey powder and lechithin. You're okay if the lechithin is soya lechithin though. And watch out for lactose too (Walkers use a vegetarian version). Try Cadbury's sweets - they have some veggie ones. It will say on the pack if it is.