Gummy bears were invented by Hans Riegel in the 1920s and are now sold worldwide. They are typically made with gelatin, but some brands use non-animal options. Other gummy candy varieties, such as worms and sour candies, have also become popular.
Gummi bears are small, translucent jelly-like candies that are sold loose and packaged. They were invented by German candy company owner Hans Riegel, who started his own business, Haribo, in a manufacturing plant in Germany in the 1920s. In 1922, Riegel created a bear-shaped candy made of fruit gum which he called The Dancing Bear. This product became popular and was later known as Haribo’s Golden Bear. In the 1950s, Riegel invented the gummy bear, and today these sweet, gum-like candy bears are available all over the world.
In the early 1980s, gummy bears began to be manufactured by Haribo in the United States, and these candies quickly became a favorite among Americans. The clear ones are flavored with pineapple, while the red ones are flavored with berries. Candies are usually always fruit-flavored, and one orange tastes like orange, one yellow, like lemon, and one green, like lime.
Gummibar or Gummibarachen means “little gummy bears” in German, and these candies typically get their gummy texture from gelatin. As gelatin is often made from animal bones, they are not suitable for vegetarians and vegans. Pig or cow bones are generally used for making gelatin, so even those who don’t consume one or both of these animals for religious or other reasons are unlikely to want to eat them. There are several brands made with non-animal options, such as pectin or starch, rather than gelatin, so interested shoppers should read the ingredients carefully.
Candies made with starch tend not to be chewy or gummy like jelly types. The Jewish Museum in Berlin has a vending machine that contains a kosher version. The popularity of Haribo’s Gummi Bears has led many candy manufacturers to produce similar types of gummies, such as fruit and animal varieties, as well as cola bottle shapes. Gummi Worms from the Trolli company, first marketed in 1981, were a huge success. Sour textured gummy candies are another popular variation of the original, sweet bear, and an acidic ingredient such as fumaric acid is often used to create the tart flavor.
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