As a food science expert with a focus on ingredient analysis, I can provide you with a detailed answer to your question regarding the vegetarian status of Maltesers.

Malted barley is a key ingredient in Maltesers, which is a type of malted grain. Malted grains are produced by allowing grains, typically barley, to germinate, then drying them out and roasting them. This process increases the nutritional value and enzymatic activity of the grain. However, the use of malted barley does not inherently make Maltesers non-vegetarian, as malted grains are not derived from animals.

The vegetarian status of a product can be more complex than just one ingredient. It's important to consider the entire list of ingredients and the manufacturing process. For Maltesers, the main ingredients are sugar, malted barley, cocoa butter, skimmed milk powder, and whey powder (a milk derivative). The presence of skimmed milk powder and whey powder indicates that traditional Maltesers are not suitable for vegetarians who avoid dairy products.

However, there are vegetarian-friendly versions of Maltesers available in some markets. These are made without dairy ingredients, making them suitable for vegetarians. It's always best to check the packaging for a vegetarian symbol or to contact the manufacturer directly for confirmation.

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All of our chocolate and ice cream products sold in the UK under the following brands are suitable for vegetarians; Bounty, Celebrations, Flyte, Galaxy, Maltesers, Mars, Milky Way, Revels, Snickers, Topic, Tracker, Twix.read more >>