Where can I buy vegan chewing gum?!
Where can I buy vegan chewing gum?
Don't say "gum doesn't have meat in it." It doesn't but it has gelatin, glycerin, stearic acid, and other animal by products. If anyone knows where I can get vegan chewing gum, I would appreciate it.
Answers:
Here's my standard answer to the veg friendly gum question (I suppose I could call it a faq<g>). More details after it<g>.
---
The main problem with *any* type of chewing or bubble gum is the gum base itself. That's a standardly defined commodity type item where the maker isn't going to be able to tell you what ingredients are used in it. Here's what the VRG says about gum base:
"Most chewing gums innocuously list "gum base" as one of their ingredients, masking the fact that petroleum, lanolin, glycerin, polyethylene, polyvinyl acetate, petroleum wax, stearic acid, and latex (a possible allergen) may be among the components.
Because of standards of identity for items such as gum base and flavoring, manufacturers are not required to list everything in their product.
According to Dertoline, a French chemical manufacturer, their adhesive "dercolytes" are used as a label and tape adhesive, as well as a chewing gum base.
Many brands also list glycerin and glycerol as ingredients on the label.
Both of them can be animal derived."
There was a 100% chicle based gum that used raw sugar and plant based flavorings but I haven't noticed anyone selling it in a few years. Here's a link to that gum, no information on where to buy it, but it does have a US phone number and there's an email address on the home page:http://chicle.com.mx/speakeasy/spkeng.ht...
---
Wrigley sidesteps the gum base question and instead gives their standard answer about their glycerin being vegetable based.
Glee gum is NOT vegan! Not only that, they also sidestep questions about the true content of their products! They do NOT say their product is 100% chicle based but instead use 'weasel words' like "...is made with..." or "...contains...". They have refused to answer the legally binding question I ask food product manufacturers:
"Does your product contain any animal ingredients, or any ingredients processed with animal products, or any ingredients that originally derived from an animal source and/or are any products originally from an animal source used in the manufacture of your product?"
Speakeasy is the only gum maker that has answered my question with a simple "Our products and manufacturing processes are totally free of any animal materials".