UK FIC Regulation 2011 + Vegetarian Society definition

Is Gelatine Vegan or Vegetarian? Both Avoid It

Gelatine is an animal-derived protein extracted from cow and pig hide, bone, and connective tissue. It is neither vegan nor vegetarian under any standard definition. This page walks through where gelatine hides on supermarket shelves, how to read labels to catch it, the plant alternatives that work in home cooking, and the special cases (capsule shells, beer fining, fish gelatine) that catch people out.

The short answer. Gelatine is bovine or porcine collagen. Not vegan, not vegetarian. Listed on UK and US labels as gelatine or gelatin. Common in sweets, jelly, marshmallows, some yogurts, supplement capsules. Plant alternatives: agar (seaweed) for jelly, pectin for jam, carrageenan for some confectionery, aquafaba for marshmallow texture. Look for Vegan Society trademark, V-Label, or Certified Vegan logo for assurance.

What gelatine actually is

Gelatine is a partial hydrolysis product of collagen, the structural protein in animal connective tissue, skin, and bone. Industrial production takes hides and bones (typically bovine or porcine, sourced as byproducts of the meat and leather industries), processes them through alkaline or acid pre-treatment, then extracts the collagen with hot water. The collagen denatures and partially hydrolyses, producing the gelatine product. Drying and milling yields the powder or sheets sold for cooking.

Globally about 60% of gelatine comes from pig skin, 30% from cow hide, and the remainder from bone, fish, and a small amount from poultry. Halal-certified gelatine excludes pork and uses only halal-slaughtered cattle; kosher-certified gelatine has similar restrictions. Marine gelatine from fish skin and scales is a smaller market segment used in some pescatarian-targeted products. None of these is vegetarian or vegan.

The Vegetarian Society UK definition specifically excludes products derived from slaughtered animals. The Vegan Society definition extends this to all animal-derived products including hides. Gelatine is excluded under both. This is not contested; it is universal across vegetarian and vegan organisations globally.

Where gelatine hides

Product category	Typical use	Vegan alternative available?
Gummy sweets, jelly babies	Gelling agent, texture	Yes, pectin or carrageenan-based vegan gummies
Marshmallows	Aeration, structure	Yes, aquafaba-based or commercial vegan marshmallows (Dandies, Freedom)
Jelly (Jell-O style)	Setting	Yes, agar-set vegan jelly
Some yogurts	Thickening, mouthfeel	Yes, look for vegan or fortified plant yogurts
Cream desserts (mousse, panna cotta)	Setting	Yes, agar or pectin-based recipes
Ice cream stabiliser	Mouthfeel, prevents crystals	Yes, locust bean gum or guar gum alternatives
Supplement capsules	Capsule shell material	Yes, look for HPMC, vegan capsules, or tablets
Some chewing gums	Glycerine source or coating	Variable, check brand-specific
Beer (some)	Isinglass fining, removed before bottling	Yes, look for vegan-friendly beer (Camra database, Barnivore)
Wine (some)	Isinglass or gelatine fining, removed before bottling	Yes, look for vegan-friendly wine (Barnivore database)
Photographic film	Emulsion (non-food, but relevant for vegans)	Limited; some films are gelatine-free

The biggest hidden-gelatine traps for new vegetarians and vegans are sweets and vitamin capsules. Sweets vary brand by brand; the safest defaults are explicitly labelled vegan (Candy Kittens, Goody Good Stuff, The Natural Confectionery Co. range, Marks and Spencer's vegan range). For supplements, prefer tablets over capsules where possible, or look for HPMC capsules and explicit vegan labelling.

The plant alternatives, ranked by application

Agar (agar-agar, kanten): derived from red algae, primarily Gelidium and Gracilaria species. Sold as powder, flakes, or bars. Sets liquids at higher temperatures and into firmer, more brittle gels than gelatine. Standard ratio: 1 tsp agar powder per 250 ml liquid for a firm set; 1/2 tsp for a soft set. Must be boiled for 2 minutes to activate. Sets at room temperature without refrigeration. Best for: vegan jelly, panna cotta, mousse layers, savoury aspic.

Pectin: derived from citrus peel and apple pomace. Forms gels in acidic, sugar-rich environments. Used in jam, jelly preserves, fruit confectionery, and some commercial vegan gummies (often combined with carrageenan). Sold as low-methoxyl (sets without sugar) and high-methoxyl (needs sugar and acid) varieties. Best for: jam, fruit preserves, fruit jellies.

Carrageenan: derived from red algae, particularly Chondrus crispus (Irish moss). Used as thickener and stabiliser in plant milks, vegan ice cream, vegan cheese, dairy and meat alternatives. Three main types (kappa, iota, lambda) with different gelling properties. Some controversy about degraded carrageenan (poligeenan) being inflammatory; undegraded carrageenan as used in food has GRAS status from the US FDA. Best for: industrial food applications more than home cooking.

Aquafaba: the cooking liquid from canned chickpeas (or the strained liquid from home-cooked chickpeas). Whips to firm peaks like egg white due to its protein-saponin composition. Used in vegan marshmallows, meringues, mayonnaise, mousses. Standard ratio: 3 tbsp aquafaba replaces one egg white. Best for: anything that needs whipped or aerated structure without animal product.

Beer, wine, and isinglass

Traditional UK cask ale and many British wines use isinglass (a form of collagen extracted from fish swim bladders, primarily Acipenser species sturgeon historically, now broader) as a fining agent. The isinglass clarifies the beer or wine by precipitating out yeast and protein particles, then is removed before final bottling. The end product contains only trace amounts.

Despite the absence of measurable isinglass in the final product, the use of an animal product in production disqualifies the beer or wine from vegan and vegetarian certification under the Vegan Society and Vegetarian Society definitions. Gelatine, casein (milk protein), and egg-white albumin are also used as fining agents in some wines and beers and have the same status. To find vegan-compatible beers and wines, use the Barnivore database (barnivore.com) which tracks over 50,000 products globally. The UK CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) maintains a separate list of vegan-friendly cask ales. Most lager and many wines use bentonite clay or alternative non-animal finings and are vegan; many cask ales and some wines are not. Check before buying.

Capsules: the hidden supplement problem

Most over-the-counter vitamin capsules use gelatine softgels or hardshell gelatine capsules. The capsule shells contain animal-derived gelatine even when the active ingredient is plant-derived. Vegetarians and vegans should specifically look for HPMC (hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, plant-derived from wood pulp or cotton) capsules or tablets that bypass the capsule question entirely.

The supplement brands that consistently use vegan capsules: Solgar, Naturelo, Pure Vegan, Vivo Life, Together Health, NOW Foods (vegan lines), Garden of Life (Mykind range). Some pharmaceuticals (prescription drugs) still use gelatine capsules; if this matters to you, ask your pharmacist about alternatives or tablet forms. For vitamin D specifically (commonly in gelatine softgels), look for lichen D3 in plant-based softgels or tablets.

Labelling improvements in progress. UK FIC Regulation 2011 requires gelatine to be declared on prepacked food, but does not yet mandate vegan or vegetarian labelling. The Vegan Society V-Label and Certified Vegan trademark provide third-party assurance. The EU and UK are gradually moving toward mandatory clearer labelling; until then, default to checking brand websites or third-party databases for products you cannot easily verify on pack.

Frequently asked questions about gelatine

Is gelatine vegetarian?

No. Gelatine is a protein produced by hydrolysis of collagen extracted from animal skin, hides, bones, and connective tissues. The dominant commercial sources are bovine (cow) and porcine (pig). The Vegetarian Society UK definition explicitly excludes products derived from slaughtered animals; gelatine fails this test. Some confusion exists because gelatine is not flesh and does not contain blood, but it is unambiguously a slaughter byproduct and is excluded from both vegetarian and vegan diets under all standard definitions.

What is the difference between gelatine and agar?

Both gel water-based liquids but they come from completely different sources and behave slightly differently. Gelatine is animal-derived collagen protein and melts at body temperature (about 35 C), which is why gelatine-set desserts give that distinctive melt-in-mouth texture. Agar is derived from red algae (seaweed), is purely plant-based, and sets at higher temperatures (around 32 to 40 C set, but does not melt below about 85 C in finished products). Agar gels are firmer and more brittle than gelatine gels and do not have the melt-in-mouth quality. Pectin (from fruit) and carrageenan (also from seaweed) are other plant alternatives with different gelling properties.

What products commonly contain gelatine?

Sweets and confectionery: gummies, jelly babies, wine gums, marshmallows, fruit pastilles, some chocolates with soft centres. Desserts: jelly (Jell-O), some mousses, panna cotta, some cheesecake recipes. Dairy: some yogurts (used to firm texture), low-fat dairy products. Drinks: some beers and wines (used as fining agent, removed before bottling, but the production process disqualifies them for vegan certification). Supplements and medications: capsule shells for many vitamins and over-the-counter medicines. Other: some ice creams, marshmallow-based snacks, some hummus brands.

How do I check if a product contains gelatine?

Read the ingredient list for: gelatine, gelatin (US spelling), hydrolysed collagen, collagen peptides, isinglass (fish swim bladder, used in some beers and wines), or vague phrases like setting agent in casual labelling. In the UK, gelatine must be declared as gelatine on prepacked food labels under FIC Regulation 2011. In the US, FDA requires gelatin disclosure. Halal and kosher certifications confirm bovine sources but not all bovine sources are halal or kosher (some are porcine). For vegan certainty, look for Vegan Society trademark, V-Label, Certified Vegan logo, or explicit suitable for vegans wording on pack.

What about fish gelatine?

Fish gelatine, derived from fish skin and scales, is available primarily in halal and kosher markets and is sometimes used in pescatarian-marketed products. It is not vegetarian (vegetarians do not eat fish or fish derivatives) and not vegan. Marine gelatine is often labelled as such or as fish-derived collagen. The functional properties are similar to bovine gelatine but melting point can be slightly different. Allergy considerations are real: fish gelatine can trigger fish allergies in some sensitive individuals.

What is the best vegan gelatine alternative for home cooking?

Depends on application. For jelly desserts and panna cotta: agar (use 1 tsp agar powder for 2 cups liquid, simmer 2 minutes to activate). For marshmallows: aquafaba (chickpea brine) whipped with sugar replaces both gelatine and egg white. For mousse: agar plus a stabiliser, or pectin-based gelling, or commercial vegan gelatine substitutes (some are agar-pectin blends). For thick savoury sauces: cornflour, arrowroot, kuzu starch. For fruit jam: pectin (vegan, derived from citrus and apple pectin). For commercial gummy candy texture (which is harder to replicate): carrageenan plus pectin blends work; some companies produce vegan gummies using these.

Sources cited. Vegetarian Society UK definition; The Vegan Society definition and trademark; Barnivore vegan beer and wine database; UK Food Information for Consumers Regulation 2011 (FIC), allergen and ingredient labelling requirements; Gelatine Manufacturers of Europe industry data on sourcing; FAO 2016, World statistics on gelatin production. All values as of May 2026.