I’m currently staying in Japan for one year on a study abroad program in Kyoto. I’m finding it hard to find foods that cater to my lifestyle (Back home I’m pescatarian but since coming here I find it hard to find affordable fish despite being in Kyoto, so I’ve opened up to chicken for my time here) and I’ve basically been living off of Golden Curry ??. I noticed that different Golden Currys slightly differ in ingredients and the one I eat from lists “Gelatin” in the Allergy Disclaimer so that worries me. Although not being vegan or vegetarian I still refuse to eat anything that has beef or pork in it but I’ve heard that gelatin can be made from all kinds of raw materials (even fish) so can you confirm that the Golden Curry box that I’ve been using is or isn’t within my eating standards?

Also can you recommend me some food items to buy that at least don’t have beef and pork in it?

Thank you :)

I’m currently staying in Japan for one year on a study abroad program in Kyoto. I’m finding it hard to find foods that cater to my lifestyle (Back home I’m pescatarian but since coming here I find it hard to find affordable fish despite being in Kyoto, so I’ve opened up to chicken for my time here) and I’ve basically been living off of Golden Curry ??. I noticed that different Golden Currys slightly differ in ingredients and the one I eat from lists “Gelatin” in the Allergy Disclaimer so that worries me. Although not being vegan or vegetarian I still refuse to eat anything that has beef or pork in it but I’ve heard that gelatin can be made from all kinds of raw materials (even fish) so can you confirm that the Golden Curry box that I’ve been using is or isn’t within my eating standards?

Also can you recommend me some food items to buy that at least don’t have beef and pork in it?

Thank you :)

I contacted the manufacturer and it appears that their USA-based products have no gelatin and no meat products. However, new products that they are making for the Japanese market do have both. Here’s what they wrote:

We have not changed the formula and ingredients for the products for the U.S. market (English packaging).

However S & B Foods of Japan introduced Golden Curry Sauce with Vegetable recently for domestic Japan market. And this product line for Japan has not only gelatin but beef ingredients. I assume your reader was confused with this new product.

Please confirm the products for the United States do not contain any gelatin or meat derived ingredients as our website shows.

Hmmmm….. That’s disturbing. I haven’t used this product in several years. If something in their ingredient list has changed, it’s not reflected on their website yet.

http://www.sbfoods-worldwide.com/products/curry/retail/america_page.html
If you search for the word “gelatin” on that page, you will see that it doesn’t exist. Further, they specifically indicate that several of their producs “contains no meat or meat related ingredients”

Thanks for the warning. I’ll contact the manufacturer and see if there has been a change to their products.

Lane

Thank you very much for this follow-up information.

Lane

Basically the company apologized firstoff and very profusely about the bonito ingredient being labelled as vegetarian and vowed to close down that website soon for amendments. They then went on to say the e627 and e631 are derived from tapioca and sugar cane. I buy what they say because in their labeling in my neighborhood shop, their form of e631 is the disodium inosinate which any google search will show is not necessarily animal derived. Hope that helps! :)

Also, this curry mix is vegetarian. It clearly states, “Contains no meat or meat-related ingredients.” on their website.