The End of Animal Derived Gelatin?

​www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Article/2018/10/25/Geltor-raises-18.2m-gears-up-for-2020-launch-of-animal-free-collagen-proteins-for-the-food-industry

Geltor, a San Leandro based start up producing collagen proteins without the use of animals, is gearing up for a 2020 launch after successfully raising 18.2 million dollars to fund their business. What does this mean? Well, for those of you who are unaware, gelatin is a collagen based ingredient used in a variety of grocery products including various candy's and yogurts. It is extracted from the bones and cartilage of animals, specifically pigs and cows and is quite disgusting to think about. After learning of gelatin in college and being a Vegetarian for almost 14 years at that point, I immediately stopped consuming everything I knew that had gelatin in it as an ingredient which meant abandoning my favourite candies and reading the labels of every yogurt I intended to purchase.

The company claims there are many reasons why the food industry is looking for an animal free alternative, specifically vegans and vegetarians who refuse to purchase these products. They also suggest that although there are gelatin free candies and yogurts that take advantage of vegan alternatives like agar agar, the consistency of the product is not the same. With their animal free proteins, they will be able to adapt the collagen like substance to suit their specific needs giving them more freedom and opportunity with their products.

What I love about this is that it demonstrates a general shift in the consumer demand in today's society. More and more people are turning to vegetarian / vegan diets or at least trying to source more ethical products. We are seeing big name fashion labels turning away from fur. We are seeing more and more companies turning their backs on animal testing, more vegetarian and vegan products showing up at the markets. There is a demand for these products that was not evident 10 or 15 years ago which is great news.

Will we see an animal product free environment in our lifetime? Who's to say, but I have faith that we will see an even bigger shift in the ethics of our nations. I can already see a big difference now than even 5 years ago. The truth is, people are realizing that there is happiness outside of what they know of animal products. There is an environmental benefit to ditching meat, there is an ethical benefit to turning away from fur etc. These facts alone demonstrate that we as a global nation are coming to the realization that animals do not deserve the fate we have dedicated to them and that alone is a victory and hey, if this means that despite my desire to avoid processed sugars I can eat a fricken gummy bear again, I'm ok with that!

Check out the original story at the link above!

HAPPY VEG