Is Salt Water Taffy Vegan?
If you have ever experienced a mouthful of saltwater, you will realize that Salt Water Taffy is delicious and has no resemblance to seawater. But is Salt Water Taffy vegan?
New Jersey is where saltwater taffy originated in the late 1800s. It quickly became a popular tourist item, eventually spreading to the majority of the nearby coastal communities.
While Americans commonly refer to this candy as taffy, the British refer to it as chews. Taffy is a popular candy in and of itself, as well as a basis for many others.
Taffy, like many other foods, can be vegan. However, it frequently contains animal components. Sugar, glucose syrup, a lipid source, and flavor are all found in the most basic form. The addition of gelatin, butter, and other dairy components typically makes it non-vegan.
Coming back to the Salt Water Taffy, this delicious delight is composed of several ingredients that are no animal products. Vegans, like others who consume other sugar-based processed foods, should take precautions.
Hence, you may have the question, “Is Salt Water Taffy Vegan? Continue reading to learn more about Salt Water Taffy and to make your own conclusion.
Does Salt Water Taffy Contain Gelatin?
No, it does not contain Gelatin. This is a huge problem for any vegan, yet most recipes do not need gelatin.
Furthermore, gelatin is found in a significant number of sweets. Vegans sometimes think that Salt Water Taffy contains gelatin because of its chewy texture.
To obtain a chewy texture, most manufacturers add gelling chemicals. Some gelling substances, such as vegetable gums, pectin, starch, and others, are vegan. However, others, such as egg whites and gelatin, are not.
Moreover, many pastry items consist of gelatin to provide elasticity, stability, and air in the gummy taffies. In addition, gelatin helps to soften and bind chewy delicacies such as caramels and taffy.
In the case of Salt Water Taffy, corn syrup is the base component, which is an aerated candy. Rather than gelatin, physical tugging is used to make Salt Water Taffy.
Despite the fact that vegan alternatives to gelatin are widely accessible, most manufacturers still use gelatin in their goods. Naturally, vegans may be concerned about the probable presence of gelatin in Salt Water Taffy.
Does Salt Water Taffy Contain Eggs?
The main ingredients for Salt Water Taffy are sugar, corn syrup, cornstarch, water, butter, glycerine, and salt. Currently, many Salt Water Taffy consists of egg whites.
Egg whites are a contentious vegan component since they do not include animal cells. However, most vegans will agree that laying chickens are off the menu because of their abuse.
Some vegetarians, including vegans, avoid eating eggs in part due to the treatment of the birds that lay them under standard farming techniques.
Others argue that it does not matter how they are raised; for instance, eating eggs exploits the fowl’s reproductive system for human consumption, causing them pain.
Does Salt Water Taffy Contain Milk?
Yes and no. Because it is made with evaporated milk, Salt Water Taffy has a richer, creamier texture. However, some are made out of corn syrup.
It is vital to know the difference between taffy and caramel. Many people mistakenly believe that caramel and taffy are the same things. Despite the fact that they are both chewy candies, the distinctions between them boil down to their basic ingredients.
The most important element in caramels is dairy milk. On the other hand, Salt Water Taffy is made up of corn syrup. As a result, some Salt Water Taffy is no longer vegan because of the use of evaporated milk.
A vegan avoids all animal products and byproducts. Vegans do not consume meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk or other dairy products, or even honey. Vegans also refuse to consume anything containing animal-derived substances. So any Salt Water Taffy with animal-based ingredients is off-limits.
Does Salt Water Taffy Contain Butter?
One of the most popular components in Salt Water Taffy is butter. Most taffy types contain butter and vegetable oils, as well as coloring and flavorings, resulting in a fluffy, light final product.
Although taffy recipes differ from one candymaker to the next, sugar, corn syrup, cornstarch, water, butter, salt, food coloring, and flavorings are the most common ingredients. You may have observed that both salt and water are listed as components.
Salt Water Taffy is created by combining a drawn sweet mass with butter or vegetable oil. Although margarine is a less costly and more stable choice, taffy manufacturers prefer to use butter.
Margarine is the finest butter substitute since it is plant-based and has a low melting point. It is possible that organic and natural taffy producers might use actual butter.
Is Salt Water Taffy Vegan?
There is not a simple answer to this. The reality is, it all depends on the brand. Although the traditional components in Salt Water Taffy are not vegan, there are commercial versions available that do not contain any labeled animal products, making them vegan-friendly.
To find out, you will have to look at the product’s ingredients description. There are many vegan Salt Water Taffy available.
Is The Sugar in Salt Water Taffy Problematic?
Sugar has been a concern for vegans since the beginning of time. This is due to the fact that sugar that has not been filtered by bone char is virtually difficult to come by. Bone char is an animal product made by burning the bones of animals at high temperatures.
Moreover, bone char is a good filtering material. To obtain white color, it can absorb all of the contaminants contained in raw sugar. It is critical to filter cane sugar because it is unsightly and originally brown.
Because refined sugars manufactured from sugarcane require bone char to create a clear white color, most refined cane sugars are inappropriate for vegans.
Some brown sugars, such as those made by adding molasses to refined cane sugar to get the brown color, also include bone char.
Vegans, on the other hand, do not consume any animal-related products. So, in order to prevent feeling guilty, they attempt to avoid sugar entirely and stick to vegan sweeteners.
In the United States, bone char is not utilized to whiten a significant amount of sugar. It is bleached with granular activated carbon instead of bone char, which works just as well.
Instead, beet and coconut create a significant quantity of sugar. The good news is that sugar made from beets and coconuts is naturally white and does not need to be bleached.
The problem is that you cannot know whether sugars are vegan or not just by looking at the ingredients list. You will have to ask the manufacturer. It is not safe to presume it is vegan-friendly.
Are The Natural Flavors in Salt Water Taffy Problematic?
According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) standards, natural flavors can be obtained from both plant and animal-based culinary sources. Vanilla, maple, banana, raspberry, mint, watermelon, lemon, and red licorice are just a few of the flavors available in Salt Water Taffy.
Furthermore, artificial colors are synthetic compounds generated from fossil fuels in general. Most people assume these ingredients are vegan since they are not sourced from animals.
Unfortunately, this is not the case. Artificial colors are routinely tested on animals such as dogs, mice, and rats to see whether they have any adverse effects.
Vegans should inquire about the origins of the tastes in their goods from the producers. It is not a good idea to avoid some foods just because the ingredients list natural flavors. Before avoiding food goods entirely, it is critical to investigate the source.
Does Salt Water Taffy Contain Palm Oil?
Yes, but not always. It is a ubiquitous component in taffy. Palm oil is vegan-friendly by nature. It is not, however, cruelty-free since palm harvesting has resulted in the deaths of numerous animals as well as deforestation.
Palm oil demand is growing, therefore selfish producers are destroying forests to expand their plantations. As a result of this practice, several animal species, such as orangutans and Sumatran tigers, are on the verge of extinction.
Despite being less attractive, the land used to produce coconut oil is more than that used to create palm oil. So, whether you feel that eliminating palm oil is a good strategy to reduce animal suffering is entirely up to you.
On the other hand, for other vegans, this is not an issue because palm oil is not an animal product. Most hardcore vegans, on the other hand, avoid products connected with animal cruelty.
Best Vegan Alternatives to Salt Water Taffy:
Vegans should avoid the majority of Salt Water Taffy variants since they include dairy and animal products. Many vegans are concerned about the components like butter, egg, and gelatin because they are derived directly from animals and dairy.
Furthermore, artificial colors and palm oil are not suited for hardcore vegans. These components are not cruelty-free, regardless of whether they are synthetic or plant-based.
Sugar, on the other hand, is considered a red sign due to the bone char filter. To put it simply, bone char is a chemical that is produced by the burning of animal bones. Because of all of these warning signs, many vegans avoid Salt Water Taffy in favor of healthier choices.
Now that we have understood that Salt Water Taffy is mostly not vegan-friendly, the real issue is what are the best vegan alternatives to Salt Water Taffy?
Vegans can still enjoy the flavor of the sea with the help of the many alternatives to the original Salt Water Taffy exist, and they taste even better.
Florida Candy Factory’s Angel Tropical Salt Water Taffy
The Angel Tropical Salt Water Taffy from Florida Candy Factory is well-known for its vegan-friendly ingredients.
Since most taffy recipes involve animal ingredients or artificial colorings, Florida Candy Company has created a great vegan Salt Water Taffy.
The beloved trans-fats prevalent in traditional Salt Water Taffy have been eliminated in Florida Candy Factory’s Angel Tropical Salt Water Taffy. Furthermore, it is also free of several food allergies like dairy, gluten, soy, nuts, artificial flavors, and colors.
Florida Candy Factory’s Angel Tropical Salt Water Taffy ingredients consist of:
- All-natural vegan tastes
- Lecithin from Sunflowers
- Palm oil that is organic
- Sugar made from non-bone char cane
- Corn syrup
Mamba Fruit Chews
Yes, Mamba Fruit Chews is 100% vegan. This sweet treat is a great alternative for you, especially if you like fruit-flavored variety.
When Mamba was launched in Germany in 1953, most people did not have a lot of extra cash for snacks. Each little Mamba packet had six pieces of fresh, fruity, chewy candy and was inexpensive. They were popular for their excellent flavor and low cost.
Children of all ages adore and purchase Mamba. Each packet is individually wrapped and features juicy and delicious fruity flavors. The tiny packets are great for on-the-go use.
There are also packs with a variety of all tastes for those with a true sweet craving and for sharing. Bags are particularly popular among families and for those occasions when tiny visitors, i.e., kids, arrive.
Mamba Fruit flavored fruit chew candy comes in four delightful juicy flavors such as strawberry, lemon, orange, and raspberry. In packs, you’ll get all four of your favorite fruit tastes.
Regardless of the fact that this variant contains artificial colors, sugar, and palm oil, all of the other ingredients are vegan-friendly. This sweet is great for you if you simply avoid non-vegan ingredients in your diet.
The ingredients for Mamba Fruit Chews are:
- Sugar
- Glucose Syrup from corn or wheat
- Vegetable Oil such as Palm Oil
- Sorbitol from wheat or corn
- Gelatin
- Modified Food Starch
- Citric Acid
- Artificial and Natural Flavors
- Black Carrot Juice Color which is Concentrate
- Tumeric Oleoresin Color
- Paprika
- Antioxidant
- Alpha-Tocopherol
- Emulsifier Polysorbatete
Final Thoughts
Because of the many different components required to manufacture Salt Water Taffy, it is impossible to state if it is vegan or not. Salt Water Taffy is not vegan yet, at least not in its current form. Vegans, on the other hand, have a wide range of similar options to choose from as mentioned above.
