Are Skittles Gluten Free?

Who can resist the rainbow-colored crunchy exteriors and sweet, chewy interiors of Skittles? Skittles have been a favorite candy since the 1970s. But can you eat these delicious treats if you have celiac disease or are gluten-sensitive or intolerant? Are Skittles gluten-free?

It’s hard to ban all candies and chocolates, especially if you’ve got kids in the house. Still, if you or your family have celiac disease, gluten insensitivity, or intolerance, you need to ensure that candy doesn’t contain hidden gluten. Let’s take a closer look at Skittles.

Are Skittles Gluten-Free?

Skittles are gluten-free and therefore safe for people with gluten intolerance, gluten allergy, celiac disease, or who choose to follow a gluten-free diet.

There are no gluten ingredients, wheat, or their byproducts in the Skittles varieties produced in the United States. 

Mars Wrigley, the producer, and marketer of Skittles labels the candies as gluten-free, per the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations.

The regulations are voluntary and the label is not a guarantee as the candies are not certified as gluten-free by an external regulator. There is always the risk of cross-contamination in factories where products are made with gluten.

What Are Skittles?

Skittles are multicolored, button-shaped candies. The exterior of each piece of candy has a hard sugar shell with an S printed on it. The interior is chewy, fruit-flavored, and juicy. Each Skittle color is associated with a different fruity flavor.

The candies were created in 1974 by a British company and exported to the United States in 1979. By 1982, Skittles were being produced in the United States, with the famous tagline, “Taste the rainbow.” Today, Skittles are made by Mars Wrigley.

Skittles’ original flavors were strawberry (red), grape (purple), lemon (yellow), lime (green), and orange. Between 2013 and 2022, Mars Wrigley changed the flavor of the green candies from lime to apple flavor in the American market.

However, after continual fan complaints, Mars Wrigley issued a public “apology” and acknowledged their “mistake.” The lime flavor has since returned.

What Are The Different Flavors Of Skittles?

Today, Skittles have moved far beyond the five original flavors. Although the originals are still available, you can now buy Skittles in flavors such as Wild Berry, Tropical, Sour, Brightside, Darkside, and Smoothie.

Limited edition Skittles are available around seasonal events and holidays, such as Skittles Seattle Mix for the Superbowl, the Skittles America Mix for Fourth of July (with the colors of the American flag), and Skittles Cauldron and Skittles Zombie for Halloween.

Because Skittles are produced globally, you will find flavors available in Europe, Australia, and Britain, but not in the United States. Some flavors have been discontinued, such as Skittles Bubblegum and Skittles Orchard.

Let’s take a detailed look at the Skittles flavors and colors that are currently available.

Original Skittles

These are still the original flavors, except for the hiatus between 2013 and 2022 when the green skittles were green apple flavor.

• Grape (purple)
• Lemon (yellow)
• Lime (green)
• Orange (orange)
• Strawberry (red)

Tropical Skittles

Tropical Skittles have more than one flavor in each candy.

• Banana Berry (yellow)
• Kiwi Lime (green)
• Mango Tangelo (orange)
• Pineapple Passionfruit (blue)
• Strawberry Starfruit (pink)

Wild Berry Skittles

Wild Berry Skittles have different flavors depending on the country you buy them. Additionally, these are the flavors currently available in the United States:

• Berry Punch (violet)
• Melon Berry (green)
• Raspberry (blue)
• Strawberry (pink)
• Wild Cherry (red)

Sour Skittles

Originally called Tart ‘n Tangy Skittles, Sour Skittles have a sour candy shell.

• Sour grape (purple)
• Sour Lime (green)
• Sour Lemon (yellow)
• Sour Strawberry (red)
• Sour Orange (orange)

Skittles Darkside 

These Skittles are darker in color and have a more intense flavor.

• Black Cherry (red)
• Forbidden Fruit (blue)
• Midnight Lime (green)
• Dark Berry (purple)
• Blood Orange (orange)

Skittles Brightside

Skittles Brightside has new fruity flavors with brightly colored shells.

• Paradise Punch (blue)
• Kiwi Banana (yellow)
• Tangerine (orange)
• Watermelon (green)
• Pink Lemonade (pink)

Skittles Smoothies

This flavor updates the 2009-2010 Skittles Smoothie mix, with softer fruit flavors and a creamy yogurt undertone.

• Raspberry Smoothie (red)
• Blueberry Smoothie (purple)
• Mango Smoothie (orange)
• Peach Guava Smoothie (yellow)
• Strawberry Banana Smoothie (pink)

Ingredients of Skittles

Investigating the ingredients of Skittles proves that the candies are gluten-free. 

This is the ingredients list for skittles sold in the United States:

• Sugar
• Corn syrup
• Citric acid
• Hydrogenated palm kernel oil
• Tapioca dextrin
• Modified corn starch
• Sugar
• Sodium citrate
• Carnauba wax
• Natural and artificial flavors
• Colors (Red 40 Lake, Blue 1 Lake, Blue 2 Lake, Yellow 5 Lake, Yellow 6 Lake, Red 40, Blue 1, Yellow 6, Titanium Dioxide).

What Flavors of Skittles are Gluten-free?

All Skittles are gluten-free: Original, Wild Berry, Tropical, Sour, Darkside, Brightside, and Smoothie.

Are Skittles Gummies Gluten-free?

Skittles Gummies are Skittles with a gummy rather than chewy texture. Gummies are also gluten-free, making them an ideal alternative to regular gummy bears or gummy worms, many of which contain gluten.

Here is the ingredient list for Skittles Gummies:

• Corn syrup
• Sugar
• Modified corn starch
• Water
• Gelatin
• Citric acid
• Malic acid
• Natural and artificial flavors
• Sunflower oil
• Carnauba wax
• Colors (Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1)

Are Skittles OK For Celiacs?

Skittles are gluten-free and don’t contain wheat, rye, barley, spelt, kamut, triticale, farina, gluten semolina, or malt vinegar.

Skittles are therefore safe for people with celiac disease, gluten intolerance, or allergy.

Are Skittles Dairy Free?

Skittles do not contain any dairy, as indicated on the ingredients list, so they are dairy-free. 

Are Skittles and Starburst Gluten-free?

Skittles and Starburst are both gluten-free products and suitable for people following a gluten-free diet.

Starburst candy is also produced by Mars Wrigley, the company that manufactures Skittles.

What Common Candy Is Gluten-free?

This list covers the most popular gluten-free candies in the United States.

Labeling products with the package label “gluten-free” is voluntary and not carefully regulated.

So, be sure to check the nutritional label, allergen information, and ingredients list of any candy you get to ensure it doesn’t contain gluten, as ingredients and recipes change constantly. There is always the unfortunate possibility of cross-contamination from the manufacturing process. 

Check with your doctor or a medical professional if you have questions. According to Beyond Celiac, Healthline.com, and Celiac.com, Here are some gluten-free candy favorites:

• Jelly Belly jelly beans
• See’s Candy
• Smarties (not gummies)

Candy by Hershey’s:

• Almond Joy (not Almond Joy Pieces)
• Heath Bars
• Hershey’s Filled Kisses (only milk chocolate with caramel filling, milk chocolate with cherry filling, cordial creme, vanilla creme, and dark chocolate with mint truffle filling)
• Hershey’s Kisses (only milk chocolate, special dark chocolate, deluxe, Hugs, pumpkin spice, carrot cake, and meltaway)
• Hershey’s Milk Chocolate bar (only the 1.55 oz bar)
• Hershey’s Milk Chocolate bar with Almonds (only the 1.45 oz bar)
• Hershey’s Milk Duds
• Hershey’s Nuggets (only milk chocolate, milk chocolate with almonds, special dark chocolate, dark chocolate with almonds, and extra-creamy milk chocolate with toffee and almonds)
• Mounds bar
• Payday bar 
• Reese’s Fast Break bar
• Reese’s Nutrageous bar
• Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups (not unwrapped minis and any seasonal items)
• Reese’s Pieces (not Reese’s Pieces eggs)
• Rollo Caramels in Milk Chocolate (not minis)
• Skor Toffee bars
• York Peppermint Patties (not York Pieces, York Minis, and York Shapes)

Candy by Mars chocolate:

• 3 Musketeers bars
• M&Ms (not pretzel, crispy, and certain seasonal items)
• Milky Way Midnight and Caramel bars
• Dove (not Milk Chocolate Cinnamon Graham and Cookies and Cream varieties)
• Snickers bars

Candy by Nestlé:

• Baby Ruth
• Bit-O-Honey
• Butterfinger (not Crisp or Giant bars)
• Milk Chocolate bars
• Gooobers
• Nips (regular and sugar-free varieties)
• Oh Henry!
• Raisinets
• Sno-Caps
• Wonka Pixy Stix
• Laffy Taffy

Candy by Tootsies:

• Andes
• Candy Carnival
• Charleston Chew
• Cry Baby
• DOTS
• Double Bubble
• Fluffy Stuff
• Fruit Chew Pops
• Fruities
• Junior Mints
• Nik-L-Nip
• Razzles
• Sugar Daddy
• Tootsie Bunch Pops
• Tootsie Pops
• Tootsie Rolls
• Wack-O-Wax

Candy by Wrigley:

• Altoids (not minis and chocolate-covered varieties)
• Big Red gum
• Creme Savers
• Doublemint gum
• Eclipse gums
• Extra gums
• Hubba Bubba gum
• Juicy Fruit gum
• Life Savers
• Orbit gums
• Skittles
• Starburst

Candy by NECCO:

• NECCO Wafers
• NECCO Chocolate Wafers
• Candy Buttons
• CANADA Mints and CANADA Wintergreen
• Mary Jane
• Banana Splits Chews
• Mint Julep Chews
• Haviland Thin Mints
• Haviland Wintergreen Patty
• Sky Bar
• Sweethearts
• Mary Jane Peanut Butter Kisses

Candy by Ferrara:

• Assorted Candy Canes by Bob’s, Brach’s, and others
• Atomic Fireballs
• Boston Baked Beans
• Brach’s Candy Corn, Cinnamon Disks, Conversation Hearts, and Lemon Drops
• Cherry Sours
• Jawbreakers
• Jelly Beans
• Juju and Jujy
• Lemonheads in these flavors: Tropical Chewy Lemonheads, Chewy Lemonheads, Berry Chewy Lemonheads, Cherryheads, and Grapeheads
• Now & Later
• Red Hots

Candy by Impact:

• Marshmallow Circus Peanuts
• Marshmallow Coconut Toasties
• Old Fashioned Creme Drops
• Peanut Butter Kisses
• Seaside Salt Water Taffy
• Warheads Extreme Sour
• Warheads Sour Chewy Cubes
• Warheads Sour Spray Candy
• Warheads Sour Dippers
• Warheads Double Drops

Conclusion

The great news is that skittles are gluten-free, as are several other popular candies. Following a gluten-free diet doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy your favorite candy – you just need to check the ingredient label.

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