What Makes Jelly Beans Shiny?
Shellac. What It Is: .. . They're Often Coated with Shellac, a Sticky Substance Derived from Secretions of the Female Kerria Lacca, an Insect Native to...
Shellac. What it is: ... They're often coated with shellac, a sticky substance derived from secretions of the female Kerria lacca, an insect native to Thailand. Where you'll find it: Shellac makes jelly beans, candy corn, and other hard-coated candy look shiny.
Do jelly beans get their shine from insect poop?
Beetle poop is the secret ingredient that makes jelly beans shiny. The FDA calls this “shellac” and not beetle dump for some strange reason. Shellac is actually found in a lot more candy that just jelly beans like Hershey's, Milk Duds, Junior Mints, Godiva Chocolate, and the candy everyone loves to hate: candy corn.
What does beeswax do to jelly beans?
Jelly Bellys are coated with beeswax and shellac to give them their appealing shine. Beeswax is an animal product, and most vegans avoid it because they believe that collecting beeswax from hives is cruel. Shellac, on the other hand, is made from secreted beetle resin.
James Sterling reports on renewable energy developments, climate policy, ecological conservation, and green tech innovations around the globe.
