Ingredients
Our most commonly used and asked about ingredients are…
Sugar
What is it?
Sugar, also known as sucrose, is a simple carbohydrate consisting of fructose and glucose. It is found naturally in most plants, but especially in beets and sugarcane. It is one of the key ingredients in candy and has a very rich and sweet history. It has not always resembled the white powder we have come to know. During the fourth century B.C. it came in light brown blocks and was very scarce and expensive. Major advances in farming and manufacturing have brought it to what we are familiar with today.
Why we use it?
We use cane sugar to make our great tasting candies. Sugar not only provides sweetness and flavor, but plays an important role contributing to the texture, body and color to foods.
Corn Syrup
What is it?
Corn Syrups are purified, concentrated solutions of carbohydrates. They are produced by extracting starch from corn and treating it with acid and/or enzymes to develop a syrup with varying levels of sweetness and functionality.
Why we use it?
Similar to Sugar, we use Corn Syrup to provide body and control crystallization in our candy. Corn Syrup also helps control moisture, ensuring our products remain fresh during their shelf life. We do not use High Fructose Corn Syrup in any of our products.
Food Starch
What is it?
Food Starches are carbohydrates that have been treated with enzymes or acids to achieve a desired function. Most food starches are used as a gelling agent to thicken and/or stabilize foods. They can be produced from Corn, Potato, Tapioca, Wheat, and Rice.(1)
(1)John M deMan (1990). Principles of Food Chemistry. New York, NY: Van Nostrand Reinhold
Why we use it?
We use a corn derived starch to provide body and a soft chewy texture to our candies.
Gelatin
What is it?
Gelatin is a protein rich gelling agent obtained by partial hydrolysis of collagen. It is derived from the skin, connective tissue, and bones of animals. Typically, gelatin is derived from pork skin and bones, cow bones and hides, and fish skins.(1)
(1)Gelatin Manufacturers Institute of America. Retrieved from: www.gelatin-gmia.com
Why we use it?
We use pork derived gelatin in our PEEPS® marshmallow to achieve a light, soft texture. Gelatin allows us to incorporate small finely divided bubbles allowing you to bite through the marshmallow cleanly with a creamy mouth feel.
Peanuts
What is it?
Peanuts aren’t nuts! Botanically speaking, they are considered legumes. They are closer in identity to a pea than any other nut.(1) The major peanut producing states are in the South and South West. Peanuts thrive in these “tropical” warm and humid regions.(2)
(1) Peanut Facts, The Peanut Institute. Retrieved from: www.peanut-institute.org
(2) National Peanut Board. Retrieved from: nationalpeanutboard.org
Why we use it?
We use dry roasted medium runner split peanuts in our GOLDENBERG’S® PEANUT CHEWS®. Each nut that goes into our bite sized candy meets our exacting standards for color, texture, and moisture to deliver that undeniably crunchy great eating experience.
Certified Food Colors
What is it?
Certified Food Colors are food additives that are commonly used to enhance the appeal of foods. They are legally defined and identified in the Code of Federal Regulations (21 CFR Parts 70-82). Certified colors are highly regulated for purity and each batch produced must meet exacting standards and be approved by the FDA before they can be sold by the manufacturer (1)
The most commonly used colors in our product line include:
- FD&C Red ##3 Also known as Erythrosine, Red ##3 is used in food, drugs, and cosmetics and provides a brilliant watermelon red color to foods. Red ##3 is used primarily in our PEEPS® branded marshmallow to provide a distinct and recognizable color.
- FD&C Red ##40 Also known as Allura Red, is widely used in food, drug, and cosmetic products and provides a Red-Orange color hue to foods. Red 40 is used in a variety of our products, including HOT TAMALES®, MIKE AND IKE®, and PEEPS®.
- FD&C Yellow ##5 Also known as Tartrazine, is a lemon yellow hued certified color used in food, drugs, and cosmetics. It is widely used in our products, most notably our flagship Yellow PEEPS® Chicks.
(1)U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Retrieved from: www.fda.gov
Why we use it?
We use certified food colors primarily for our products to have vibrant and seasonally relevant colors. In addition, they are more cost efficient and have a longer shelf life.
Confectioners' Glaze
What is it?
Confectioners’ Glaze is a food grade edible coating that contains components derived from the sap of trees. This sap is liberated from the lac beetle in a process similar to how bees make honey.
Why we use it?
Confectioners’ Glaze has been used for many years to enhance product appearance. It provides a high gloss surface finish and resistance to external influences such as humidity and temperature that could negatively affect product quality.