Oh
the beauty of childhood. A time of endless exploration, ignorant bliss, and a
never-ending desire to inhale the entire candy store.
As adults, we all know the dangers of
such treats, both for our waistlines and our longevity. But, every now and
then, a childhood treat makes an appearance, and sometimes, we simply can’t
resist. The video below might solve that problem, if you have it.
If gummy bears, peach rings and gummy worms were among your
favorite sweet treats as a kid, and perhaps even now, it may be hard for you to
watch how they’re actually made.
While you may have come across a vegetarian friend or two who
has turned down a fruit snack or cup of jello because such products are made with
gelatin, which is a gelling agent created by way of animal skin and
bones, the knowledge alone may not be enough to keep you from noshing on the
treat yourself.
Thankfully, a Belgian
filmmaker Alina Kneepkens is out to change that. Having created
a horrifying short film that shows in intense detail the way in which gummy
candies are made. Kneepkens begins the footage in reverse, by showing what
we’ve all come to know and love as a finished gummy candy right before we pop
it into our mouths and enjoy the sweet sensation of processed sugar going down
the hatch. As the footage unrolls, the viewer soon comes to discover the
candy’s gory inception.
The film is just one in a series of videos documenting the
disgusting way our food is made. Other stomach-churning videos include rabbit with plums, which
is a typical Belgian dish, and black pudding.
Neither are for the faint of heart, either.
Let’s be mindful, of course, that
there are vegan gelatin substitutes that some candies are made with, like agar,
one of the most popular substitutes for gelatin that is obtained from
algae. So, if the following video isn’t enough to make you swear off gummy
candies, and perhaps food, for good, then you’ll be glad to know you’ve got
options.
Below, enjoy, or grimace, at the very real (and graphic)
realization that, to enjoy your sweet treat, pig carcasses must be torched
and stripped of their skin, and then boiled down to create the flavorless
ingredient. Tendons, ligaments and bones are also utilized to
concoct the substance that’s also used in other favorites, like cola
bottles and marshmallows.
“I got the assignment to direct some reversed audiovisual
stories showing the production of some of our food. I saw quite a few slaughter
houses and examples of both industrial and artisan food production. A true eye
opener,” Kneepkens states on her website regarding the grim yet eye-opening
video series. “‘Jelly’ is candy. But only few people know they’re made of
gelatin from the skin of pigs. Sweet?” she concludes above her video of the
creation of gummy candies.
Check out the video below, and see if
you’re able to pick up a piece of your childhood favorite after:
Source : Collective Evolution