LABEL WARNINGS (Part II)

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Hidden Animal Products

 

From the Vegetarian Resource Group

 

It is so hard to keep up with all the hidden animal ingredients in

food and medicine products. Common ingredients which are animal-

derived include:

 

Polysorbate 80 – look for in products like Tylenol PM caplets

 

Sodium tallowate - provides bulk in products like Irish Spring soap

 

Collagen and elastin – in lotions and cosmetics

 

Bonito – dried fish, often listed in Thai, Chinese, Japanese or

Mediterranean food.

 

Cochineal – a red food coloring (AKA red #40) extracted from the eggs

of a beetle. Note: It is unclear of all red#40 food coloring comes

from cochineal beetles. Certainly any does that is labelled cochineal

or " carmine. " It is likely that other artificial sources are used for

red dye #40.

 

Mono- and Diglycerides can be animal, vegetable or synthetically

derived. They are used to combine foods, which ordinarily wouldn't

combine well, such as oil and water.

 

Enzymes can be animal or vegetable derived

Stearic Acid is usually animal derived unless otherwise labeled

 

Glycerin can be animal, vegetable or synthetic. It is commonly animal-

derived or a blend of animal and vegetable. Even kosher glycerin

can be animal-derived.

 

Natural Flavors – the definition of natural flavor allows flavoring

constituents derived from a spice, fruit, vegetable, edible yeast,

herb, plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, egg, dairy products or

fermentation products whose significant function in food is

flavoring. So natural flavors can be practically anything. You can

call the manufacturer to ask what the natural flavor is, but most

protect this information as proprietary, so it's better to ask

whether it is animal-derived or not.

 

Our Guide to Food Ingredients is very helpful in deciphering

ingredient labels. Many of the following answers were provided by

research gathered for the guide. The Guide to Food Ingredients lists

the uses, sources, and definitions of 200 common food ingredients. The

guide also states whether the ingredient is vegan, typically vegan,

vegetarian, typically vegetarian, typically non-vegetarian, or

non-vegetarian. The guide is available for $6. You can read more about

the guide at www.vrg.org/press/97juningred.htm. You can order online

at www.vrg.org/catalog/order.htm. You can also order by mailing a

check to VRG, P.O. 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203, or by calling (410)

366-8343 M-F 9-5 (EST) to order with a Visa or MasterCard.