Thew Arnott launches vegan Shellac alternative
Specialist ingredient company Thew Arnott has introduced a natural vegan alternative to Shellac in its range of AraTAs coatings for confectionery products.
The barrier coating uses Zein, a type of protein found in maize which is then extracted as its main ingredient. As a result, Zein is natural, odourless, tasteless and edible, making it ideal for many encapsulation, coating and adhesive applications.
Unlike Shellac, which is produced by the lac beetle, the new coating is animal free; this means that manufacturers are able to label relevant confectionery products.
According to a recent poll by The Vegan Society, veganism has grown by 360% in the last year with many products now being labelled ‘vegan friendly’ as selling point to this growing consumer base.
Zein is also gluten-free, sugar-free and available in non GM versions. When used in food, the coating is classed as an ingredient rather than an additive, enabling manufacturers to make a range of clean label declarations.
