Who does not like a packet of gummy sweets? The brightly coloured, chewy sweets that tantalise your taste buds with every bite are a favourite among adults and children.
But, have you noticed that your vegetarian friends usually avoid these sweets? If you have and wondered why, then it is time to break the news to you.
Do you know, that the main ingredient in these sweets is gelatine? What is wrong with that? Well, gelatin is a gelling agent made from animal skin and bones.
A Belgium filmmaker, Alina Kneepkens, made a short film on how jelly sweets are made. While it is rather distressing and gross to say the least, the movie has one wondering just how kosher or halal your favourite sweets are.
The movie begins with the end product, the sweets looking all tasty and delicious. But, the movie goes into reverse and slowly showing the gory process in how the sweets are made. The short film shows how the gelatin is made from boiling the skin, bones and cartilage of a pig.
But lets first see how gelatine gets into our sweets…
Gelatin is a colourless and flavourless substance made from the raw animal materials that are usually the left overs at slaughter houses. This material is then boiled, ground up and dried out before it gets its chewiness.
From there the necessary colourants and other ingredients are added to turn the animal remains into your favourite jelly sweets. Becoming a vegetarian suddenly doesn’t seem like a bad idea. Don’t take my word, watch the video…
If you are vegetarian, Muslim or Jewish, what do you need to look out for before buying jelly sweets?
Jews and Muslims are encouraged to look at the sweets packaging before purchasing jelly sweets. If it does not have the Kosher or Halal stamp of approval, it is best to assume the gelatine used in the sweets are made from pork products or the animal was not slaughtered according to the two faiths beliefs.
For vegetarians, it is also advisable to read the packaging to determine if the sweets are gelatine free. By reading the products, you and your loved ones can ensure you hold true to your standards of living.
However, if you are not Jewish, Muslim or vegetarian, and the video clip did not gross you out, enjoy your sweeties.
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