In ‘yuge news for vegan lolly lovers across the nation, Allen’s has announced it has made the iconic jelly bean 100 per cent plant-based by removing a food colouring made from crushed beetles.
I guess it’s also major news for non-vegan sweets stans who had no idea such an ingredient even existed. The more you know!
The insect-heavy ingredient is a food colouring called carmine, which is made from pulverised cochineal beetles. Yum yum piggy bum.
An Allen’s spokesperson told news.com.au the confectionary giant’s “lolly experts” made the new vegan-friendly jelly beans possible by substituting “plant-based colouring agents derived from beetroot and paprika”.
Look, I’m just gonna say it: I would give literally anything to become a lolly expert. I want, nay demand to know how one climbs the Allen’s ladder to earn such an iconic, awe-inspiring and stunning title.
Is a lolly expert akin to Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Hopefully the lolly experts at Allen’s (again, how does it feel to live my dream) roll out this new-fangled way of dyeing food to other sweets ‘cos banana lollies are a divine foodstuff that EVERYONE should be able to enjoy.
