Plock Candy guide
Gelatin-free candy
Gelatin-free candy is candy made without gelatin, the gelling agent produced from animal collagen, usually from pigs or cattle. It gets its chew from pectin, starch or agar instead. To find it, check the ingredient list for gelatin or gelatine. Several Swedish candy makers, including Bubs for most of its range, make candy without it.
- Gelatin is
- A gelling agent made from animal collagen, usually pork or beef
- Common replacements
- Pectin, modified starch, agar, gum arabic
- How to check
- Look for gelatin or gelatine in the ingredients
- Gelatin-free vs vegan
- Not the same: also check for beeswax, shellac, carmine, milk and egg
- Swedish example
- Most of the Bubs range is made without gelatin
Why is there gelatin in candy?
Gelatin makes gummies elastic and bouncy and helps marshmallow-style foam hold its shape. It is made from collagen in animal skin and bones, so vegetarians, vegans and many people who avoid pork look for candy without it.
What is used instead of gelatin?
- Pectin, from fruit, gives a soft, clean bite.
- Modified starch gives the dense chew common in fruit gums.
- Agar, from seaweed, sets firmly.
- Gum arabic, from acacia trees, is used in firmer pastilles.
Is gelatin-free candy vegan?
Not always. A candy can skip gelatin and still contain beeswax or shellac as a glaze, carmine for red color, or milk and egg. If you eat vegan, read the full ingredient list or look for a vegan label.
Is there gelatin in Swedish candy?
It depends on the maker. Bubs, the Swedish brand behind the famous foam skulls, makes most of its range without gelatin. Other Swedish gummies and foam candies do contain it, so check each product. Read the complete guide to Bubs candy.
Finding gelatin-free candy in San Francisco
At Plock Candy, 3101 Fillmore St, ask which pick-and-mix pieces are gelatin-free before you start scooping, and build your mix around them. Bubs candy is part of the range.
Frequently asked questions
What candy does not have gelatin?
Hard candy, most chocolate and gummies made with pectin or starch usually contain no gelatin. Recipes vary even within one brand, so the ingredient list is the only reliable check. In Swedish candy, most of the Bubs range is made without gelatin.
What candy is OK for Muslims?
Candy without pork gelatin or other non-halal ingredients, or candy with a halal certification. Choosing gelatin-free candy removes the most common concern, but a halal certification is the clearest assurance.
Which sweets have no gelatine?
Sweets set with pectin, starch or agar, such as many fruit jellies and starch-based fruit gums, plus most hard candy and chocolate. Gelatine is the British and European spelling of gelatin, so look for either word on the label.