Trying to figure out if Gushers are vegan and halal can sometimes be confusing.
Fruit Gushers have many ingredients and some of them may not be vegan or halal.
To make sure you are only eating vegan candies, I’ve looked into the ingredients and production processes of Gushers.
And here’s what I found.
Yes, Fruit Gushers are vegan friendly and halal, as they are free from any animal by-products or haram ingredients.
Keep reading to find out why fruit Gushers are considered vegan friendly and halal, because we are going to explore everything you need to know about Gushers and their vegan and halal status.
What Are Gushers?
Fruit Gushers, often simply called Gushers, are a type of fruit snack made by General Mills and sold under the Betty Crocker brand. They were first introduced in 1991 and have been a popular snack among children and adults ever since.
Gushers are known for their unique texture and design. They are small, hexagonal-shaped snacks that have a soft and chewy outer shell and a center filled with a sweet and slightly tart fruit-flavored liquid.
When you bite into a Gusher, the liquid center “gushes” out, hence the name.
Gushers come in a variety of fruit flavors, and the outer shell color usually corresponds to the flavor. Some of the most popular flavors include strawberry, tropical, and mixed fruit.[1]
Here is a complete list of Fruit Gushers’s different flavors:
Fruit Gushers Flavors:
- Watermelon Blast
- Double Dare Berry
- Fruit Fusion
- Tropical Spooky Fruit
- Hawaiian Punch flavors. (Including Pineapple Paradise, Watermelon Luau, and Maui Mango)
- Fruitomic Punch
- Tropical Flavors
- Extreme Kiwi Explosion
- Strawberry Splash
- Gushing Grape
- Screaming Green Apple
- Triple Berry Shock
- Sour Fruit Gushers
- Spooky Strawberry
- Super Sour Fruit Gushers
- Super Sour Berry Fruit Gushers
- Sour Berry Blast (Introduced Circa 1994)
- Passion Berry Punch flavor
- Busting Berry Lemonade flavor
- Roboberry Ultra Blast
- Rocking Blue Raspberry flavored
- Scary Cherry (Super Sour Fruit Gushers)
- Grumpy Grape (Super Sour Fruit Gushers)
- Crabby Apple (Super Sour Fruit Gushers)
- Tropical Freak Out (X-Scream Mouth Morphers Edition)
- Spicy Watermelon (Sweet And Fiery Edition)
- Hot Melon (Sweet And Fiery Edition)
- Fiery Peach (Sweet And Fiery Edition)
Now, let’s take a closer look at the ingredients used in Fruit gushers and examine any potential non vegan ingredients.
Fruit Gushers Ingredients: What Are Gushers Made Of?
The common ingredients found in most Fruit Gushers flavors are:
- Sugar.
- Corn Syrup.
- Dried Corn Syrup.
- Pear Puree Concentrate.
- Modified Corn Starch.
- Fructose, Maltodextrin and Palm Oil.
Others ingredients can be added like : Cottonseed Oil, Glycerin, Grape Juice Concentrate, Carrageenan, Citric Acid, Monoglycerides and Sodium Citrate.
Now, let’s break down these ingredients:
Sugar:
Sugar is considered vegan because it is derived from plant sources, primarily sugarcane and sugar beets. Both are processed to extract sugar, which is then crystallized and packaged for use.
Corn Syrup
Corn syrup is considered vegan. It is derived from cornstarch, a plant-based product. The cornstarch is processed by enzymes, which break it down into glucose. It’s then concentrated into a syrup. This process doesn’t involve any animal products or byproducts, so corn syrup is typically suitable for a vegan diet.
Pear Puree Concentrate
Pear puree concentrate is also considered vegan. It is made by cooking pears, pureeing them, and then removing water to create a concentrated form. This process does not involve any animal products or byproducts, making it suitable for a vegan diet.
Modified Corn Starch
Modified corn starch is vegan. It’s made from corn, a plant-based source. The “modified” part refers to the treatment of the starch to change its characteristics, like making it more stable when heated or more resistant to freezing. This modification process does not involve animal products or byproducts, making it suitable for a vegan diet.
Fructose and Maltodextrin
Both fructose and maltodextrin are vegan.
Fructose is a simple sugar that naturally occurs in many fruits. It can also be derived from sugar cane, sugar beets, or corn.
Maltodextrin is a polysaccharide that is produced from starch, usually from corn, rice, potato starch or wheat. In all these cases, the sources are plant-based and the process of producing them doesn’t involve animal products or byproducts.
Now that we understand the ingredient in fruit gushers, let’s return to our main question: “are Gushers vegan and halal?”.
Are Gushers Vegan?
Yes, Gushers are vegan friendly, as they do not contain any animal by-products. Unlike many chewy candies of this sort, they do not contain gelatin.
However, fruit gushers contain a questionable ingredient which is palm oil, that many vegans avoid.
Palm oil is extracted from the fruit of the oil palm tree (Elaeis guineensis).
Palm oil has a high yield and is a relatively inexpensive oil to produce, which makes it a popular choice for use in a wide range of food and non-food products.
However, the cultivation of oil palm has been associated with environmental and social issues.
The expansion of oil palm plantations has often led to deforestation, habitat destruction, and the loss of biodiversity.
Also, the industry has been criticized for its poor labor practices, including the exploitation of workers and the use of child labor.
Due to these concerns, vegans and some people choose to avoid products containing palm oil.
Are Gushers Vegetarian?
Yes. Gushers are vegetarian, as they are free from anima derived ingredients.
They are made with plant based ingredients, which makes them suitable for both vegans and vegetarians.
Are Gushers Halal?
Yes, Fruit Gushers are halal and can be consumed by Muslims, as they are free from ingredients forbidden by the Islamic religion.
Gushers do not contain pork gelatin or alcohol and therefore, they are suitable for muslim people.
If you follow a halal diet and want to be certain about a product, it’s a good idea to check the packaging for a halal certification, or contact the manufacturer directly for the most accurate and up-to-date information.
Please note that while fruit Gushers are halal in terms of ingredients, they are a processed food that contains added sugars and artificial colors, so they should be consumed in moderation as part of a balanced diet.
Does Gushers Have Gelatin?
No. Gushers do not have gelatin. They are made with plant based products.
Based on the ingredients list, there are no animal-based ingredients, and the snack is vegan friendly.
Since Gushers are chewy, people think that gelatin is used as an ingredient, but this not true for fruit Gushers.
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Key Takeaways:
- Gushers are vegan and vegetarian friendly, as they are free from animal by-products.
- Unlike many chewy candies of this sort, Gushers do not contain gelatin.
- Gushers are also halal as they are free from haram ingredients.
FAQS:
Do Gushers Have Pork?
Gushers do not contain pork or pork-derived ingredients.
They are usually made with ingredients like corn syrup, sugar, fruit juice, and various artificial flavors and colors.
Are Gushers Kosher?
According to their website, Fruit gushers treats are Certified Kosher Parve under the strict supervision of Orthodox Union and made with no artificial flavors.
Please note that ingredients, nutrition facts, and allergen statements can change. Always refer to the actual package for the most complete and accurate information.
Are Fruit Snacks Made of Pig Fat?
Fruit snacks, like the aforementioned Gushers, are not made with pig fat.
They are generally made with fruit juice concentrates, sugars, and gelling agents. The gelling agents can vary, but they are often pectin (a plant-based substance), cornstarch, or gelatin.
Gelatin is the ingredient that can sometimes be derived from animal sources, including pigs.
It’s a protein obtained by boiling skin, tendons, ligaments, and/or bones with water. It’s usually obtained from cows or pigs.
However, fruit gushers do not use gelatin.
If you’re concerned about the ingredients in a specific brand of fruit snacks, I recommend checking the ingredient list on the packaging or the manufacturer’s website.
Do Gushers Have Red 40?
Yes, most flavors of Gushers do contain Red 40, also known as Allura Red AC, which is a common food coloring used in the United States.
However, ingredients can change, and different flavors or varieties might have different ingredients.
For the most accurate and up-to-date information, I recommend checking the ingredient list on the packaging of the specific Gushers product you’re interested in.
Are Gushers Super Sour Berry Vegan?
Gushers super sour berry are made with these ingredients:
- Sugar.
- Corn Syrup.
- Dried Corn Syrup.
- Pear Puree Concentrate.
- Modified Corn Starch.
- Fructose, Maltodextrin.
- Palm Oil.
- Contains 2% or less of:
- Citric Acid.
- Cottonseed Oil.
- Glycerin.
- Carrageenan.
- White Grape Juice Concentrate.
- Monoglycerides.
- Sodium Citrate.
- Malic Acid.
- Potassium Citrate.
- Vitamin C (ascorbic acid).
- Agar-Agar.
- Natural Flavor.
- Xanthan Gum, Color (red 40, blue 1).
The ingredient list is technically plant based, and therefore, Gushers super sour berry are considered vegan friendly.