Jacob’s Twiglets are a crunchy, nobbly, twig-shaped snack. But are Twiglets vegan?
The label says ‘suitable for vegetarians’ so read on to discover what Twiglets are made of and whether vegans can eat Twiglets or not.
Are Twiglets vegan?
Twiglets are vegan because they contain no animal products. Twiglets are labelled as ‘suitable for vegetarians’ but are not labelled as vegan. This is because they are made in a factory that also handles milk and eggs.
Twiglets ingredients
Wholewheat Flour (80%), Flavouring [Yeast Extract (Barley), Salt, Vegetable Extract (Carrot)], Vegetable Oils (Sunflower, Palm), Salt, White Pepper
Twiglets carry an allergy warning that says: ‘May Contain: Eggs, Milk, Mustard, Sesame.‘ This means that there is the potential for contamination with traces of these things during the manufacturing process.
Most vegans accept that there is some potential for cross-contamination with many processed foods and would still consider Twiglets to be vegan.
Food factory machinery is thoroughly cleaned in between making different recipes. For people with severe allergies, a miniscule amount of an allergen could be enough to cause a reaction, which is why these warnings are on the label.
It is up to each person to decide how strict of a vegan they are, and whether they are happy to eat things that have not been produced in a dedicated vegan environment.
Read more: Is food that ‘may contain milk’ vegan?
Palm oil in Twiglets
Some vegans choose to avoid palm oil which has not been sustainably sourced because of the damage that unsustainable palm oil production causes to the environment and animals. However, the palm oil that’s used to make Twiglets is 100% sustainably-sourced, so this should not be cause for concern.
Jacob’s Twiglets are manufactured by United Biscuits, a company which was one of the first to switch to sustainable palm oil.
Conclusion
Most vegans would be happy to eat Twiglets as they do not contain any animal ingredients and the palm oil comes from sustainable sources. However, if you have a milk or egg allergy or are very strict in your vegan beliefs, you may wish to avoid Twiglets.