Is Extra Gum Vegan-Friendly?

If you want to find out if Extra Gum is vegan-friendly, then we can help. Extra Gum has released many flavors to choose from. Some of these are:

The brand was also the first to launch sugar-free gum! It’s great to have a pack in your back pocket for that little fresh boost at the end of lunch or just to cure a minor sweet tooth attack. But is it vegan-friendly? Continue reading to find out. 

Is Extra Gum Vegan?

The answer is: No

Glycerol is largely taken from animal sources which makes the Extra gum unsuitable for vegans to eat. There are also animal cruelty concerns as artificial colors are often tested on animals. 

What is Extra Gum Made Of?

Extra Gum is made from the following ingredient: Sorbitol, Gum Base, Glycerol, Mannitol, Natural, And Artificial Flavors, Less Than 2% Of: Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Soy Lecithin, Aspartame, Acesulfame K, Colors (Red 40 Lake, Yellow 6), Sucralose, Bht (To Maintain Freshness). Phenyketonurics: Contains Phenylalanine.

Why Is Extra Gum Not Vegan-Friendly?

Extra Gum is not vegan-friendly as glycerol is an ingredient that is mostly made from animal sources. Glycerol can either come from animal fats or vegetable oils. Glycerol can also be made from plant sources. However, products that contain plant-sourced glycerol often include this in the packaging as “Vegetable Glycerine”. We think it best you avoid glycerol products that state otherwise. 

Also, the artificial coloring used in the gum exposes animals to cruelty. Dyes such as red40 and yellow 6 are ordered by the FDA to be tested before included in food for humans. 

These tests are done on animals who are later euthanized because they tend to have potentially fatal reactions to the testing. Vegans who concern themselves with the safety of animals should avoid products with artificial colors. We hope that Mars will soon have the resources to find other animal-friendly dyes like the one they discovered in red cabbage for their blue dye purposes. 

Natural Flavors can either be animal sourced or plant sourced. The uncertainty is enough for stricter vegans to avoid the product. However, Extra Gum has not disclosed which of the sources they use. 

Final Thoughts

Mars has been taking strides in increasing their impact on environmental sustainability. This is seen in their commitment to reduce plastic use by 25% and to have 100% of their plastic packaging be reusable, recyclable, or compostable by 2025.

Unfortunately, their safety protocols for the earth have not fully extended to animals. The Extra Gum is not vegan-friendly as they contain animal sources and some of their ingredients expose animals to cruelty. 

For more information: https://www.mars.com/made-by-mars/mars-wrigley