Health Watch

Most chewing gums innocuously list “gum base” as one of their ingredients, masking the fact that petroleum, lanolin, glycerin, polyethylene, polyvinyl acetate, petroleum wax, stearic acid, and latex may be among the components. Because of standards of identity for items such as gum base and flavouring, manufacturers are not required to list everything in their product.


According to Dertoline, a French chemical manufacturer, their adhesive “dercolytes” are used as a label and tape adhesive, as well as a chewing gum base. Many brands also list glycerin and glycerol as ingredients on the label. Both of those compounds can be animal-derived.

There are different words for different food ingredients across the world. In Europe, some food ingredients are noted as “E” numbers. Those that vegetarians will want to avoid include:

• E120 - cochineal (red food colouring made from crushed beetles).

• E542 - edible bone phosphate.

• E631 - sodium 5'-inosinate.

• E901 - beeswax.

• E904 - shellac.

• E920 - L-cysteine hydrochloride


Ingredients with the following “E” numbers may be animal derived: 101, 101a, 153, 203, 213, 227, 270, 282, 302, 322, 325, 326, 327, 333, 341a, 341b, 341c, 404, 422, 430, 431, 432, 433, 434, 435, 436, 470, 471, 472a, 472b, 472c, 472d, 472e, 473, 474, 475, 476, 477, 478, 481, 482, 483, 491, 492, 493, 494, 495, 570, 572, 627, and 635.


To read more, go to: www.ivu. org/faq/food.html