What are the ingredients in Rowntrees Fruit Pastilles?

October 30, 2025 •

2 min read

As of 2020, Rowntree's Fruit Pastilles underwent a significant recipe change, becoming vegan-friendly by removing gelatine. The new composition means that what are the ingredients in Rowntrees Fruit Pastilles now features a plant-based formula for a chewy texture, maintaining their iconic taste.

Quick Summary

Rowntree's Fruit Pastilles contain sugar, glucose syrup, starch, concentrated fruit juices, and natural colours and flavours. The original gelatine has been replaced with a plant-based alternative to make them vegan. They retain their signature chewy texture and vibrant fruity taste.

Key Points

Vegan-Friendly Since 2020: Rowntree's Fruit Pastilles became suitable for vegans in 2020 with the removal of gelatine.
Plant-Based Chewiness: Starch and modified starch now provide the chewy texture, replacing gelatine.
Natural Colours and Flavours: Colours and fruity tastes come from natural fruit juices and plant/vegetable concentrates.
Core Ingredients: The base includes sugar, glucose syrup, invert sugar syrup, concentrated fruit juices, acids, and natural additives.
Classic Flavours Remain: The five classic flavours—blackcurrant, lemon, strawberry, lime, and orange—are still present.
No Artificial Additives: The sweets are free from artificial colours, flavours, and preservatives.

The Core Components of Rowntree's Fruit Pastilles

Rowntree's Fruit Pastilles are known for their chewy texture and fruity flavours. Introduced in 1881, the recipe has been updated over the years, most significantly in 2020 when gelatine was removed, making them vegan-friendly. The sweets are made from sugars, starch, fruit juices, and natural additives.

Sweeteners and Bodying Agents

A combination of sugar, glucose syrup, and invert sugar syrup provides the sweetness and contributes to the chewy texture. In the vegan recipe, starch is a key ingredient, replacing gelatine as the primary setting agent and providing the chewiness.

Fruit Juices and Natural Flavours

Concentrated fruit juices are used to give Fruit Pastilles their distinct fruity taste. The classic flavours include blackcurrant, lemon, strawberry, lime, and orange. Natural flavourings are also added to enhance the taste, with the brand emphasizing the absence of artificial additives.

Acids and Acidity Regulators

Acids like malic, citric, and lactic acid provide the tangy flavour and help with preservation and texture. Trisodium citrate is used to regulate acidity.

Colours and Concentrates

The vibrant colours come from natural plant and vegetable concentrates such as anthocyanins, copper complexes of chlorophyllins, and curcumin, avoiding artificial alternatives.

A New Vegan-Friendly Era

The 2020 recipe change by Nestle removed gelatine and introduced a plant-based substitute to maintain the chewy texture. This change, relying more on starch, allows vegans and vegetarians to enjoy the pastilles while retaining the classic taste and quality.

Comparison of Pre-2020 and Vegan Rowntree's Fruit Pastilles


Ingredient Category	Pre-2020 Recipe	Post-2020 (Vegan) Recipe
Chewiness Agent	Gelatine, Starch	Starch, Modified Starch
Sweeteners	Sugar, Glucose Syrup, Invert Sugar Syrup	Sugar, Glucose Syrup, Invert Sugar Syrup
Acids	Malic, Citric, Lactic, Acetic Acid	Malic, Citric, Lactic, Acetic Acid
Acidity Regulator	Trisodium Citrate	Trisodium Citrate
Colours	Anthocyanins, Curcumin, Carotenes	Anthocyanins, Copper Complexes of Chlorophyllins, Carotenes, Curcumin
Flavours	Natural Flavourings	Natural Flavourings
Fruit Juice	Concentrated Fruit Juice	Concentrated Fruit Juice

Conclusion

Rowntree's Fruit Pastilles contain a blend of sugars, plant-based starches, concentrated fruit juices, and natural colours and flavours to create their distinct chewy and fruity profile. The notable 2020 recipe update removed gelatine, making them vegan while preserving the classic taste and texture.

Frequently Asked Questions

The main ingredients are sugar, glucose syrup, starch, invert sugar syrup, concentrated fruit juices, acids (malic, citric, lactic), and natural colours and flavourings.

Yes, as of 2020, Rowntrees Fruit Pastilles switched to a vegan-friendly recipe and no longer contain gelatine.

The ingredient that was removed to make Fruit Pastilles vegan is gelatine, which was previously used to give the sweets their chewy texture.

Yes, Rowntrees Fruit Pastilles contain concentrated fruit juices to provide their fruity flavour.

Yes, Rowntrees Fruit Pastilles are considered gluten-free and are often labelled as such by retailers.

The colours in Fruit Pastilles come from natural sources, such as anthocyanins, copper complexes of chlorophyllins, and curcumin.

According to the manufacturer, the recipe was carefully developed to ensure the sweets retained their signature fruity flavour and iconic chewy texture, with many unable to tell the difference.