Are Nerds Vegan and Cruelty Free? (April, 2024 Update)

Trying to work out if Nerds are vegan is a tough task.

The Ferrara Candy Company, which makes Nerds, masks the actual ingredients behind vague terms such as “artificial flavors,” and even when they do give you a full list, they never include how those ingredients are made.

To make sure that you are eating foods that align with your vegan lifestyle, I’ve investigated the ingredients and processes used to make Nerds. Here’s what I found.

Are Nerds Vegan?

Unfortunately, no. The classic Nerds candy, which was first introduced in the 1980s, is not vegan.

The main problem with Nerds is the food coloring used in them. Nerds use the red and pink food coloring carmine to give them their distinctive neon color. Carmine is made from crushed-up insects and sometimes may be listed as “E120” on food labels. These insects are native to South America and Mexico and have been used for centuries to create red and pink dyes.

Some, like the Nerds rope, use gelatin, which is also derived from animals. Gelatin is a protein that comes from the collagen in animal skin and bones. Gelatin is used in Nerds varieties such as Ropes, Big Chewy, and Clusters.

Then there’s the sugar, a controversial ingredient among vegans. Refined sugar is often whitened using animal bone char. Bone char is a by-product of the animal livestock industry and is made from the bones of cows, pigs, and other animals. While not all sugar is processed using animal bone char, many are, and companies like Ferrara often source their sugar from a variety of suppliers and are unable to ensure their sugar is not processed with bone char.

Are Nerds Cruelty Free?

No. Nerds are not cruelty free.

The artificial colors that are used in Nerds are routinely tested on mice and other animals, so they cannot be considered cruelty free.

What Are Nerds Made Of?

Here are the ingredients of Nerds:

Dextrose
Sugar
Malic acid
Corn syrup
Artificial flavors
Carnauba wax (a palm wax)
Carmine color
Dyes Blue 1, Blue 1 Lake, Blue 2, Blue 2 Lake, Red 40, Red 40 Lake, Yellow 5, Yellow 5 Lake, Yellow 6, and Yellow 6 Lake
Gelatin (for Rope, Gummy Clusters, and other varieties)

Let’s break down each ingredient of Nerds:

Dextrose

Dextrose is a form of sugar that is made from starch. It is often used as a sweetener in processed foods. Dextrose is not processed using any animal byproducts.

Sugar

The sugar used in Nerds is likely derived from either cane or beet sugar. Beet sugar does not use animal by-products in its processing. Refined cane sugar, however, is often processed using bone char, which is derived from animals.

As of the time of publishing, Ferrera, the company that owns Nerds, sources their sugar from multiple suppliers, so it is unclear if the sugar used in Nerds is processed with bone char or not.

To ensure that the sugar you’re consuming is free of bone char, look for sugars that are “unrefined,” “organic,” or “raw.”

Malic acid

Malic acid is a sour-tasting compound that is found in fruits like apples and pears. It is often used as a flavor enhancer in foods and beverages. Malic acid does not contain animal by-products, nor are any used in its processing.

Corn syrup

The corn syrup used in Nerds is vegan because it is made from corn. Corn syrup does not contain any animal by-products and is considered vegan.

Artificial flavors

Artificial flavors are chemicals that are used to mimic the taste of natural flavors. Artificial flavors may or may not be vegan as they can be derived from both plant and animal sources. Ferrera did not list the source of their artificial flavors on their nutritional information website, so it is best to assume that they aren’t using vegan-friendly artificial flavors.

Carnauba wax (a palm wax)

The carnauba wax used in Nerds is a b-yproduct of the Brazil nut industry and does not contain any animal by-products.

Carmine color

Carmine color is derived from cochineal insects. Cochineal insects are native to South America and Mexico and have been used for centuries to create red and pink dyes. The process of making a carmine color includes boiling and crushing these insects. This ingredient is not vegan.

Dyes

The artificial dyes Blue 1, Blue 1 Lake, Blue 2, Blue 2 Lake, Red 40, Red 40 Lake, Yellow 5, Yellow 5 Lake, Yellow 6 & Yellow 6 Lake are all vegan because they are either made from petroleum or made from plants.

They are, however, not cruelty free because artificial colors are routinely tested on animals. These animal tests involve gruesome experiments where animals are subjected to a toxic cocktail of chemicals.

Gelatin (for Rope, Gummy Clusters, and other varieties)

Gelatin is an absolute no-no for vegans because it is an animal by-product. It is made from collagen, which is derived from animal skin and bones.

Why Aren’t Nerds Vegan?

Nerds are not vegan for several reasons.

First, most Nerds varieties contain carmine, the name of the colors used to create their grape and strawberry flavors, which is derived from cochineal insects. Cochineal insects are boiled and crushed to create the pigment that is used for coloring foods, cosmetics, and textiles.

Second, some Nerds varieties, such as the Nerds Rope, Big Chewy Nerds, Sour Big Chewy Nerds, and Nerds Clusters use gelatin in their manufacturing process. Gelatin is a protein derived from the bones, cartilage, and skin of animals.

Third, sugar is a main ingredient in Nerds, and almost all sugar in mainstream candy is refined. Refined sugar is whitened with animal bone char. Ferrera cannot determine if the sugar they use is processed with bone char, so strict vegans should avoid their products.

Are Nerds Watermelon Vegan?

No. Nerds Watermelon are not vegan. They use carmine color, which is derived from boiled and crushed cochineal insects, and refined sugar.