The Surprising Ingredient That May Be in Your Rocky Road Ice Cream

There has been some recent alarm over an ingredient in Baskin-Robbins' popular Rocky Road ice cream. The flavor, which consists of a rich chocolate ice cream stuffed with roasted almonds and mini marshmallows, lists gelatin as an ingredient in the marshmallows. This has rankled fans, including a Nevada-based man named Rajan Zed, president of the Universal Society of Hinduism.

In a statement, Zed said, "It was shocking for Hindus to learn that popular Rocky Road ice cream, which they had been eating for years, contained beef; beef was not explicitly mentioned under the ingredients listed on the packages/boxes." This, Zed suggested, was a serious and offensive oversight on the company's part.

Beef may not have been listed, but gelatin always has been. Gelatin is generally known to be an animal product, and Baskin-Robbins confirmed this in a response to Zed, saying it comes from both a "porcine and beef source." 

The Food and Drug Administration explains that gelatin comes from "the partial hydrolysis of collagen derived from hides, connective tissue, and/or bones of cattle and swine." Gelatin has been described by the American Chemical Society as "probably the most important part of the marshmallow, because it serves as the scaffolding that gives the marshmallow its stretchy, gooey texture." It is difficult to make marshmallows without gelatin, although Ben & Jerry's uses a seaweed-derived thickener called carrageenan in some of its ice creams. 

But Zed does not think that listing gelatin goes far enough. He said, "It was hard to comprehend that why Baskin-Robbins, 'world’s largest chain of ice cream specialty shops, with more than 7,600 retail shops in nearly 40 global markets', did not mention explicitly under the ingredients on the package/box the source of gelatin used in that product."

Online commenters have mixed responses. Some challenge Zed's stance, pointing out that committed vegetarians or vegans will familiarize themselves with the many ingredients that contain animal products in order to ensure they don't violate their personal eating rules. They argue that it's the individual's responsibility to inform themselves. Others say it is entirely fair and logical to want clearer labeling to avoid misunderstandings like this.

It also makes one wonder about how detailed an ingredient list should be. Should the origins of everything be disclosed? If gelatin is expected to be listed as coming from a beef or porcine source, should the cream, almonds, and cocoa also have their origins revealed? It opens a metaphorical can of worms as to how deep a producer should go to satisfy a customer’s curiosity—and at what point the producer can assume a curious customer will do their own research.

Regardless of where you fall in the debate, it may come as a surprise to many ice cream lovers that gelatin exists in their favorite flavor, and in marshmallows overall. Many other foods then come under scrutiny—s’mores! Rice Krispies treats! Hot chocolate topped with melting marshmallows! Often we are unaware of the ingredients that make certain foods possible, and we would all do well to educate ourselves about what goes into the things we love and eat so as not to be unpleasantly surprised.