FAQS

We are required by law to declare major food allergens as defined by the FDA (Milk, Eggs, Peanuts, Tree Nuts, Fish, Shellfish, Soy, Wheat and Sesame) on our label.  Additionally, for the safety of our consumers, it is our policy to voluntarily add “May Contain” statements to our packages to alert consumers to any potential cross contamination risk for any of those top 9 allergens.

Because product formulations can change at any time, we encourage consumers to refer to our package labels for the most up-to-date ingredient and allergen information.  We are required by law to declare major food allergens as defined by the FDA on our label.  Additionally, for the safety of our consumers, it is our policy to voluntarily add advisory statements to our packages to alert consumers to any potential cross contamination risk.  Therefore, if there is a risk of cross contamination with any of these major food allergens, we would include this information in the form of a “May Contain” statement on our package.  For further questions, please call our Consumer Relations Team toll free at 1-888-645-3453.

For the safety of our consumers, it is our policy to voluntarily add advisory statements to our packages to alert consumers to potential cross contamination risks of any of the top 9 allergens as defined by the FDA.  Because we make Chocolate Dipped PEEPS® Marshmallow Candies in our facility, we include a “May Contain Milk” statement to any products that could be at risk for cross contamination, which affects some, but not all, PEEPS® products.  We adhere to stringent Good Manufacturing Practices and have a comprehensive allergen management program in place, which includes measures to minimize any allergen cross contamination risk.  For further questions, please call our Consumer Relations Team toll free at 1-888-645-3453.

We offer many gluten-free products under the MIKE AND IKE®, HOT TAMALES®, PEEPS®, GOLDENBERG’S® PEANUT CHEWS®, TEENEE BEANEE® and JUST BORN® brands and we are in the process of updating package labels to include gluten-free statements where appropriate.  The modified food starch that we use in our candies is corn starch.  However, because some of our products may be manufactured and/or packaged in a facility that may also handle non gluten-free products, we encourage consumers to read the labels carefully for the most up-to-date ingredient and allergen information.  For further questions, please call our Consumer Relations Team toll-free at 1-888-645-3453.

The modified food starch that we use in our candies is corn starch.

All of our jelly bean type candies, such as MIKE AND IKE®, HOT TAMALES®, TEENEE BEANEE® Jelly Beans and JUST BORN® Jelly Beans are kosher and pareve.  GOLDENBERG’S® PEANUT CHEWS® Candies are kosher dairy.  They are manufactured under the supervision of the Kashruth Division of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America.  Our PEEPS® Marshmallow Candies are not kosher.

GOLDENBERG’S® PEANUT CHEWS®:

Our Original Dark Chocolatey PEANUT CHEWS® has a great following among vegans. We do point out, however, that they are produced on the same line as our Milk Chocolatey PEANUT CHEWS®, which have nonfat dry milk in them.

MIKE AND IKE®/HOT TAMALES®/Jelly Beans:

Our jelly bean and chewy candies contain confectioners glaze, which may be of concern to some vegans. Confectioners glaze is a food grade edible coating containing components derived from the sap of trees and is very similar to a bee’s production of honey.

PEEPS®:

Our marshmallow candies are not vegan because they contain pork-derived gelatin.

The gelatin used in our marshmallow candies is derived from pork products.

We have done a great deal of research, analysis and testing using alternative sources of gelatin and have not been able to identify a consistent alternative that provides the same great eating experience that our current gelatin provides.

The decorations on many of the PEEPS® shapes are made of icing consisting primarily of sugar.  Our chick, bunny and ghost eyes, however, are the exception.  They are made with an FDA approved edible wax commonly used in confectionery products.

Depending on which product you are interested in, we recommend visiting the Products portion of each of our brand websites (MIKE AND IKE®, HOT TAMALES®, PEEPS®, GOLDENBERG’S® PEANUT CHEWS®), where you will find ingredient statements and nutrition facts.  Or, for the most up-to-date information, please feel free to contact our Consumer Relations Team toll free at 1-888-645-3453.

GMO Ingredients, sometimes referred to in the United States as a Bioengineered or BE Ingredients, are plants, animals, or microorganisms whose genetic makeup has been altered. Since the early 1990’s, crops modified using these modern genetic techniques have been widely adopted by farmers in the U.S., and around the world. The most popular crops using these techniques include corn, soybeans, canola and sugar beets. When it comes to our food, farmers commonly use techniques like selective breeding, cross pollination or hybridization to improve crops resistance to insects, weeds, or be better able to withstand disease, reducing the need for insecticides and herbicides. This results in better yields which is important to improve the global issue of food insecurity  Learn more from the FDA about GMO ingredients.

At Just Born Quality Confections, safety and quality are a top priority, particularly when it comes to selecting the ingredients we use to make our candies. We use ingredients derived from crop biotechnology for ingredients such as corn, sugar beets and soy because these raw materials are not currently available in the USA in the quantities that we need to manufacture our candies. We recognize there are varying views regarding crop biotechnology and we hope providing you with additional information will help ease any concerns you may have. Foods made with GMO ingredients, also known as Bioengineered or BE Ingredients are as safe as foods made with ingredients from conventional crops. We know this because these crops have been widely planted since the early 1990’s and have been rigorously tested and studied for safety.  Many regulatory agencies, scientists, health professionals, and other experts within the agricultural industry around the world have studied GMO’s and found that crops are safe for consumers. A sampling of organizations and authorities who have deemed GMO’s safe include: US Department of Agriculture, World Health Organization and American Association for the Advancement of Science. To go one step further, even the National Academy of Sciences and the American Medical Association have declared there are no health risks associated with foods that contain GMO ingredients. You can find additional information on the safety of GMO ingredients and the rigorous testing procedures, by visiting the FDA and the USDA websites.