Is Dole Whip Vegan and Cruelty Free? (April, 2024 Update)

Trying to figure out whether Dole Whip is safe for vegans to consume can be difficult.

Frozen desserts often contain many ingredients and some of them may be animal derived.

To make sure that you’re only consuming food that aligns with your vegan lifestyle and diet, I’ve looked into the ingredients and production process of Dole Whip.

Here’s what I found out.

Is Dole Whip Vegan?

No. Dole Whip is not a vegan product.

Dole Whip, or Dole Soft Serve mix, is a type of frozen dessert mix that is sold in a powdered form and comes in several different fruit flavors. It is made by the Dole Food Company and is mostly distributed to public attraction parks, such as Walt Disney World.

Unfortunately, vegans will not have the chance to enjoy this delicious treat because it contains refined sugar and mono- and diglycerides.

Sugar is widely processed using bone char, a black, porous, and absorbent substance made from the charred bones of animals. It is used to remove impurities and make sugar whiter.

Mono- and diglycerides can be of either plant or animal origin but animal sourced is much more common as it is cheaper to produce. These are added to Dole Whip as emulsifiers.

These two ingredients alone make Dole Whip non-vegan and unsuitable for a vegan diet.

Is Dole Whip Cruelty Free?

Yes! Dole Whip is cruelty free.

Dole Whip is not tested on animals nor does it contain any ingredients that have been tested on animals, such as artificial colors and flavors.

Animal testing is an outdated and cruel practice that often leaves innocent animals disfigured, sick, or dead. There surely are other ways companies can ensure their products are safe for consumers without harming any animals in the process.

What Is Dole Whip Made Of?

Here are the ingredients of Pomegranate Dole Whip:

Sugar
Dextrose
Maltodextrin
Coconut oil
Citric acid
Color (carrot concentrate, black currant concentrate)
Ascorbic acid
Stabilizers (guar gum, cellulose gum, xanthan gum)
Natural flavor
Modified food starch
Mono- and diglycerides
Silicon dioxide (anticaking)

Let’s break down each ingredient of Dole Whip:

Sugar

Sugar is a type of carbohydrate that is present in almost all fruits and vegetables. It is a key ingredient in Dole Whip, responsible for giving the frozen dessert its sweetness. Sugar is not vegan unless the packaging specifically says it is either “raw,” “organic,” or “unrefined.”

Dextrose

Dextrose is a type of sugar derived from cornstarch. Dextrose is often used as a sweetener or flavor enhancer in many processed food items. It is vegan.

Maltodextrin

Maltodextrin is a type of carbohydrate that is derived from either corn, potato, or rice starch. Maltodextrin is often used as a thickener, filler, or stabilizer in many processed food items. It is a vegan-friendly ingredient.

Coconut oil

Coconut oil is a type of vegetable oil that is extracted from the flesh of coconuts. Coconut oil is often used in cooking and baking for its high smoke point. Coconut oil is a vegan-friendly ingredient.

Citric acid

Citric acid is a type of organic acid that is found in citrus fruits. Citric acid is often used as a preservative or flavor enhancer in many processed food items. It is a vegan-friendly ingredient.

Color (carrot concentrate, black currant concentrate)

Natural food coloring is derived from plant sources and does not contain any animal products. Carrot concentrate gives Dole Whip its orange color while black currant concentrate gives it its raspberry color. These natural colorings are vegan-friendly ingredients.

Ascorbic acid

Ascorbic acid is a type of organic acid also known as Vitamin C. Ascorbic acid is often used as a preservative or flavor enhancer in many processed food items. It is a vegan-friendly ingredient.

Stabilizers (guar gum, cellulose gum, xanthan gum)

Stabilizers are used to prevent ingredients from separating. Guar gum, cellulose gum, and xanthan gum are all plant-based and vegan-friendly ingredients.

Natural flavor

Natural flavors are derived from plant or animal sources. Dole Whip does not specify which type of natural flavors they use in their product. Natural flavors can be either vegan or non-vegan depending on their source.

Modified food starch

Modified food starch is a type of starch that has been treated to change its properties. Modified food starches are often used as thickeners, fillers, or stabilizers in many processed food items. It is a vegan-friendly ingredient.

Mono- and diglycerides

Mono- and diglycerides are a type of fat that is often used as an emulsifier in many processed food items. Mono- and diglycerides can be derived from either plant or animal sources. However, animal-sourced is much more common as it is cheaper to produce.

Silicon dioxide (anticaking)

Silicon dioxide is a type of mineral that is often used as an anticaking agent in many processed food items. Silicon dioxide is a vegan-friendly ingredient.

Why Isn’t Dole Whip Vegan?

Dole Whip soft serve is not vegan because it contains refined sugar and mono- and diglycerides. Sugar is often processed with animal bone char to make it white and mono- and diglycerides are often sourced from animals, as it is cheaper to produce. These ingredients make none of the Dole Whip fruit flavors suitable for vegan consumption.