On a label, “Gelling Agent (INS 428)” means gelatin. INS 428 is the number the Codex International Numbering System gives to gelatin, which it lists for several jobs: gelling agent, stabilizer, thickener, emulsifier and carrier. Printing the code instead of the name is common on Thai packs, so the word “gelatin” may not appear at all.
Gelatin is made from collagen in the skin and bones of animals, usually pigs or cattle. In the Euro Choco Pie with marshmallow and raspberry jam it is listed at 2.4%, by far the larger of the two gelling agents, and it is most likely what gives the marshmallow its soft, springy body. Pectin (INS 440) appears alongside it in a much smaller amount.
As an animal product, gelatin is not vegetarian, and its source animal matters for halal and kosher diets. The code alone does not say which animal it came from.
