Trident doesn’t disclose each step of its gum-making process, so we can’t determine if it is vegan. This is a common trend with most processed foods. The best you can do is avoid gums with gluten since that is animal-sourced.
Most trident gum flavors don’t use gluten; however, Trident Layers and Trident Splash varieties contain gelatin, so they aren’t vegan-friendly. Most vegans are okay with eating Trident gums other than these two types.
This article will go over the Trident gums that don’t use gluten. We’ll also go over the gum-making process so you know exactly how they’re produced and decide if you’re okay eating them. Keep reading.
Vegan-Friendly Trident Gums
A couple of Trident Gum varieties don’t have animal-sourced gluten. They are assumed to be vegan-friendly, so you can eat them without worrying about anything. These include:
Vibes
Classic
White
The Vibes series has four flavors, Classic has twenty-one, and White has six. This gives you many options in terms of flavors and styles to choose from as a vegan.
Trident gum is usually vegan. The only ingredient you have to look out for is gelatin. This is an animal-sourced ingredient used in many desserts and snacks, and several gums have them.
The Layers and Splash lines have gelatin and automatically become non-vegan friendly. So you should avoid them. As for the other gum varieties, we’ll look at how they’re made to understand what makes them vegan and where there is a potential for using non-vegan ingredients.
Gum Base
The gum base is a non-digestive part of Trident gums. This part stays in your mouth even after you chew on gum for an extended period.
Trident does not disclose the composition of its base, but it is FDA approved. The FDA allows 46 ingredients for gum base. Some are plant-based, while others are animal-based, and there is no way to know which ones Trident uses.
Decide if you’re okay with not knowing.
Glycerin
Trident uses glycerin to soften its gum. This prevents it from becoming too hard because it isn’t fun to chew hard gum.
Glycerin can be made with animal fats or plant oils. The latter is typically used in food manufacturing, so Trident likely uses plant-sourced glycerin for its gums.
Natural Flavoring
Natural flavorings are a chemical mix used to improve the taste of any particular food. 80% of it comes from animal or plant sources, while the remaining 20% are artificial flavorings.
Companies don’t have to list all animal sources on their ingredient lists. They only have to declare if they’re using meat or broth extracts. So we can not say with complete certainty that any processed foods use or don’t use animal-sourced ingredients.
It’s not easy to determine if Trident’s natural flavors are animal-free.
Artificial Colors
You’ve probably noticed that different Trident gum has different colors. Some are red, while others are yellow. This comes from artificial colorings.
Most artificial colorings are made with plants. The only exception is carmine because it is made with bugs. Some vegans are okay with foods that use artificial colors, but some aren’t. This is because researchers test the dyes on animals in labs.
Since the manufacturer is not directly involved in the testing, some people feel it is unfair to hold them responsible for it. At the same time, customer demand can push manufacturers to move away from researchers who test on animals.
Trident May Be Vegan But Is It Healthy?
If you only consume vegan products, we’ll assume you care about the health benefits or downsides of your food. While Trident gum is marketed as being “good for you,” there are a few potentially harmful ingredients:
BHT
BHT preserves fats and oils in products, an essential ingredient in chewing gum. However, some studies claim this is a potential carcinogenic. The evidence is limited but still warrants some attention.
Acesulfame Potassium
Acesulfame Potassium is “generally recognized as safe” by the FDA. One study on mice showed that this ingredient could lead to obesity and chronic inflammation. At the same time, there isn’t enough evidence to prove this.
Once again, the evidence is limited but still warrants some attention.
Artificial sweeteners
Artificial sweeteners are a common ingredient in processed foods and are linked to an increased risk of overall cancer. The FDA reviewed several safety studies that explored this link and determined that there wasn’t enough evidence to show that they posed a threat to human health.
Artificial colors
Consuming too much food dye containing contaminants can pose a health risk. Some sources link them with an increased risk of cancer. However, except for Red-3, there is no evidence that food dyes cause cancer.
Steer clear of Trident gums that use it and you’ll be good.
Final Thoughts
From the ingredient lists that have been made public, all Trident gums except for the Splash and Layers varieties are vegan. There is some speculation regarding the nutritional value of these gums but all the ingredients used are FDA approved.
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