If you’re afraid of bugs but love candy corn, one common candy ingredient might give you a spook this Halloween.
What is Confectioner's Glaze?
Confectioner's glaze, also known as pharmaceutical glaze, is used by numerous candy companies to add a shiny, smooth finish on their products.
It's made using shellac, but shellac—or “beetle juice,” as ABC News calls it—is made of bug secretions.
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What is Shellac?
After feeding on tree sap, the female lac bug secretes a substance called lac to protect her soon-to-hatch eggs.
Often found and collected in forests of India or Thailand, the lac later hardens to create a flaky shellac.
It is then dissolved in ethanol, an alcohol fuel distilled from plant materials. The process leads to the creation of glaze and shellac polish.
Uses for Shellac
The glaze is used to enhance shine of apples, jelly beans, and other hard foods.
Shellac-based sprays are also used to coat pills, polish fingernails, and varnish wood.
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Is Confectioner's Glaze Safe?
According to the Food and Drug Administration, the glaze is a “non-nutritive substance,” or a substance that does not contribute negatively or positively to nutrition.
However, it is “generally recognized as safe” by the administration. (The FDA also allows a certain amount of insect fragments into the foods we eat.)
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Is Confectioner's Glaze Vegan?
No. Because shellac is hardened lac bug secretions, products containing it are not considered vegan.
With worries that shellac processes may lead to bugs incidentally getting dissolved into ethanol, some vegetarian and vegan bloggers have encouraged the avoidance of food products with the glaze.
Other Halloween Ingredients to Avoid
Although the glaze may not be associated with direct nutrition issues, other ingredients in your Halloween bag might be.
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Corn Syrup
Corn syrup, often used for extra flavoring, has been linked to the United States’ diabetes epidemic.
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Added Sugars
Many treats are also packed with added sugars linked to obesity.
You should check our list of healthy sugar alternatives to learn about healthy sweeteners that may appear in your kids' treats.
