Thank you for your posting. I looked at your pictures. The first several pictures do look like some type of vegetable matter to me. (Although we have the forum to assist, I'm certainly not an expert on identification.) Further down you mention licorice so this is a possibility.
Further down, it looks like some possible worm-type of organisms -- a few maybe threadworm and/or ascaris? -- difficult to tell.
To preserve parasites it is best to use a 10% formalin solution. You might be able to get it from a private pharmacy; the large box pharmacies won't carry it.