Foods with Gelatin Are Not Vegetarian

I. Edible Gelatin

Edible gelatin has the physical and chemical properties of strong water absorption and high viscosity. In addition, it is a kind of fat-free high protein and does not contain cholesterol. Therefore, gelatin has become a natural nutritive thickener for food, which is used to increase the taste of yogurt, jelly, steamed buns and other foods.

The gelatin applicated in food is known as edible gelatin. Edible gelatin is the use of fresh animal skin by the boiling extraction of collagen protein with strict safety control, nonpoisonous and harmless. As long as it is labeled on the outer packing according to the national requirements, it doesn't break the law, and people don't need to worry about security issues. From a nutritional standpoint, edible gelatin does not affect the original food nutritional value.

II. Foods with gelatin are not vegetarian

As a thickener for food, gelatin is used in aspic, can, candy, sausage, vermicelle, instant noodles, ice cream and other food industries. One of the purposes of adding thickeners in food is to increase the chewy taste, such as vermicels, instant noodles and so on. The second is to prevent the impact in the transportation process resulting in the collapse of the product shape, such as yogurt. Many netizens mistake fans, vermicrons, yogurt and so on as vegetarian, which is a misreading.

Gelatin is added in the production process of vermicelles, and gelatin is the product of animal skin, bones, tendons and other parts of the boil, so if there are products containing gelatin, it is unlikely to be vegetarian food, so some vegetarians should not choose products with gelatin.

Now there are some vegetarian gelatin substitutes such as guar gum, carrageenan, and there are many vegan materials with the same composition as gelatin, such as cellulose, AGAR, guar gum, Xanthan gum, carob fruit, jelly, etc. So if you see a gelatin in the ingredients list, you can know it's not a vegetarian food. But if the vegan materials above are listed in the ingredient list, even if you're a vegan, you can eat it.