Are Sour Patch Kids Vegan?

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Do you love sour patch kids as much as I do? They are so addicting and delicious! But what if they aren’t vegan? This might be a question you are wondering the answer to if you recently switched to a vegan diet but don’t want to give up this deliciously sour candy. In this post, we will discuss whether or not Sour Patch Kids are vegan.

What Are Sour Patch Kids?

Sour patch kids are the popular sour and sweet candy made by Mondelez International. They are very similar to other types of gummies in texture but are extremely sour. They are covered in a soft powder that is colored with bright pastel hues. Sour Patch Kids are shaped like little monsters and have faces printed on them, making them even more fun to eat! You can find these candies at most stores or gas stations for a fairly low price.

What Is A Vegan Diet?

A vegan diet is a diet that excludes all animal products or byproducts. This includes meat, fish, dairy, eggs, honey, and gelatin.

What Are The Ingredients in Sour Patch Kids?

SUGAR, INVERT SUGAR, CORN SYRUP, MODIFIED CORN STARCH, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF TARTARIC ACID, CITRIC ACID, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, YELLOW 6, RED 40, YELLOW 5, BLUE 1.

Do Sour Patch Kids Contain Gelatin?

Gelatin is a type of protein obtained by boiling skin, tendons, and/or bones with water and contains collagen. Gelatin is the thorn in the side of every vegan that loves chewy candies. Luckily, Sour Patch Kids do not contain gelatin.

Well, they don’t contain gelatin if you live in the US. They do contain gelatin in the UK. I read this in several articles online, but I was unable to find an official ingredient list to confirm if this is true or not.

The Sugar in Sour Patch Kids Might Not Be Vegan Friendly

The first ingredient in Sour Patch Kids is sugar. This sugar might not be vegan because it is processed with an animal byproduct called bone char.

What Is Bone Char?

Bone char is finely ground animal bones that are used to filter sugar. Animal bones can be sourced from beef cattle, oxen, sheep, or water buffalos. It’s possible to make bone char from the bones of small animals such as pigs or poultry.

Bone char is used in the production of sugar for several reasons. It purifies the sugar by removing impurities and colors that are often found in raw sugar. Bone char also makes it possible for sugar manufacturers to use less refined sugars, which is cheaper than white sugar.

The problem with this is that bone char isn’t vegan-friendly because it is processed with animal byproducts.

Is the Sugar in Sour Patch Kids Made With Bone Char?

Mondelez International, the company that owns Sour Patch Kids, has confirmed that some of their suppliers use bone char, but some do not. It is not possible to verify whether a particular product was made using bone char or not.

Artificial Food Dyes Are Tested On Animals

Food dyes are added to food and beverages for various reasons, including making the food more attractive, adding color, or improving taste. Food dyes are used in everything from soda to cereal.

Artificial colors are most commonly made from petroleum byproducts (though they can also come from other sources). They are additives found in candy, soft drinks, gelatins, and many foods where we want them to be bright and colorful.

All artificial food colorings have been tested on animals. Many animal experiments are required before companies are allowed to use artificial coloring in their products.

Sour Patch Kids contain yellow 6, red 40, yellow 5, and blue 1.

Should Vegans Eat Sour Patch Kids?

That’s entirely up to you. In my opinion, I am much more concerned about obviously non-vegan ingredients like meat, fish, milk, eggs, and gelatin. It is impossible to be perfectly vegan because almost everything has potentially harmed animals somewhere or somehow. Being vegan is about doing your best to eliminate harm to animals as much as you can.

100% Vegan Alternative to Sour Patch Kids

If you don’t want to eat Sour Patch Kids, but you still love them, make sure to check out Smart Sweets Sour Blast Buddies. These plant-based sour snacks are made without sugar alcohols, artificial sweeteners, and added sugar.

Sour Patch Kids FAQ

Are Sour Patch Kids Kosher?

Sour Patch Kids are not kosher certified.

Are Sour Patch Kids Gluten-Free?

Sour Patch Kids are certified gluten-free.

Are Sour Patch Kids Halal?

According to Mondelez International (the company that owns Sour Patch Kids), the Original Sour Patch Kids do not contain ingredients that may be deemed unlawful by Islamic law.