# What the hell are gummi snacks made out of? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 20, 2000, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-are-gummi-snacks-made-out-of/30021 "2000-08-20T03:33:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Homer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/df788c/32.png) [@Homer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homer)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2000, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-are-gummi-snacks-made-out-of/30021/1 "2000-08-20T03:33:16Z")
Okay, I’ve eaten about 10 packages of gummi snacks in the last hour or so. Scooby Doo ones, to be exact. I can read the ingrediants list all I want, but that doesn’t tell me how the hell they get this rubbery, stretchy texture and still make it edible… Also, what’s the name for this stuff? They’re not really gummi bears, they’re the stuff you find in every shape, color, and TV show out there. –Tim ---
**Author:** ![Poto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ab992/32.png) [@Poto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poto)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2000, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-are-gummi-snacks-made-out-of/30021/2 "2000-08-20T04:15:25Z")
pectin, sugar I think the same as red liquorice ---
**Author:** ![Poto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ab992/32.png) [@Poto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poto)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2000, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-are-gummi-snacks-made-out-of/30021/3 "2000-08-20T04:18:28Z")
Britannica’s pectin: any of a group of water-soluble carbohydrate substances that are found in the cell walls and intercellular tissues of certain plants. In the fruits of plants, pectin helps keep the walls of adjacent cells joined together. Immature fruits contain the precursor substance protopectin, which is converted to pectin and becomes more water-soluble as ripening proceeds. At this stage the pectin helps ripening fruits to remain firm and retain their shape. As a fruit becomes overripe, the pectin in it is broken down to simple sugars that are completely water-soluble. As a result, the overripe fruit becomes soft and begins to lose its shape. Because of its ability to form a thick gel-like solution, pectin is used commercially in the preparation of jellies, jams, and marmalades. Its thickening properties also make it useful in the confectionery, pharmaceutical, and textile industries. Pectic substances consist of an associated group of polysaccharides that are extractable with hot water or with aqueous solutions of dilute acids. The chief sources of commercial pectin are the peels of citrus fruits, and to a lesser extent apple pomace (residue from cider presses). Very small amounts of pectin suffice in the presence of fruit acids and sugar to form a jelly. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2000, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-are-gummi-snacks-made-out-of/30021/4 "2000-08-20T05:48:39Z")
Lots of time they just use geletin, which causes me no end of pain becasue I don’t eat that and I love anything gummy. I’ve always called them Fruit Snacks. ---
**Author:** ![Homer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/df788c/32.png) [@Homer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homer)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2000, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-are-gummi-snacks-made-out-of/30021/5 "2000-08-20T05:57:47Z")
Wow. Thanks. That was quick, and painless. Chalk up just a bit more ignorance eradicated. –Tim ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2000, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-are-gummi-snacks-made-out-of/30021/6 "2000-08-20T15:15:42Z")
As long as we’re on the suject, what is the origin of the name “Gummi”? I don’t know where she gets her information, but my sister is convince it’s a German name that is supposed to be pronounced as if spelled “goomey” or “goomih”. Granted, if it really is German, that’s probably a close approximation. But is it German? ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2000, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-are-gummi-snacks-made-out-of/30021/7 "2000-08-20T15:38:53Z")
Sigh, this is not a difficult subject Gummi Bears: Bears Gummi Worms: Worms Gummi Monkeys: Monkeys Gummi Submarines: Submarines See a pattern here? ---
**Author:** ![Yeah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/dbc845/32.png) [@Yeah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeah)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2000, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-are-gummi-snacks-made-out-of/30021/8 "2000-08-20T22:00:20Z")
“Gummi” is German for rubber. “Gummi ba[umlaut]ren” (“rubber bears”) have been popular in Germany for many years. The “u” is not pronounced like “oo” in “moon” nor like “u” in “gum” but like “ou” in “should.” ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2000, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-are-gummi-snacks-made-out-of/30021/9 "2000-08-21T04:18:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Yeah \* > \*\*“Gummi ba[umlaut]ren” (“rubber bears”) have been popular in Germany for many years. > \*\* FYI, you can express umlauted vowels from German as either the umlauted letter or that letter without the umlaut, followed by an “e”; e.g., Ü or Ue. So baeren would have been acceptable in your post. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2000, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-are-gummi-snacks-made-out-of/30021/10 "2000-08-21T04:31:09Z")
Just wanted to second the german connection. My German teacher sold authentic german bears and gave them out to people on their birthday.