Are Marshmallows Made Out of Horse Hooves?

No, they are not. Gelatin is a principle ingredient in marshmallows. A lot of people believe that the gelatin in marshmallows is made from from horse hooves, but that isn’t true. You can’t make marshmallows out of horse hooves; however, you can make glue out of horse hooves. Hoof glue was invented in ancient times and has been in continuous use for over 5,000 years. Horse hoof glue is still made. It is used in fine woodworking and violin making, among other things.

All of the major brands of marshmallows manufactured in the United States are made out of gelatin extracted from pig parts. Kraft marshmallows are made from gelatin extracted from pig skin. Most of the other brands get their gelatin from pig snouts or lard. That’s why none of them are certified kosher or halal. At a wholesale food trade show, a marshmallow salesman proudly told me: “Our gelatin is made from fresh pig snouts. Most of our competitors use frozen snouts.” Hmmm. Is that really a big deal? Would you really be more inclined to buy a bag of marshmallows if it said on the label: “Made from the snouts of freshly killed pigs!” I don’t think that line is going to sell a lot of marshmallows.

If you want to buy pig-free marshmallows, go to Whole Foods. They sell Eleyon marshmallows from Israel. They are made with fish gelatin. If you want to buy vegan marshmallows, good luck. They are hard to find in stores, expensive, and usually have a very short shelf life. Vegan marshmallows are made with carregeenan, a gelling agent extracted from seaweed.