Vegetarian Checklist

A list of what to look out for in food and household items

Animal ingredients can be found in the most unlikely things...

With food products listing all their ingredients, it’s easy to see what is or is not suitable for vegetarians... Or is it? Some food ingredients, for instance, calcium stearate (used as an anti-caking agent) could be either of synthetic or animal origin. Unfortunately, manufacturers (unless they are aiming specifically at vegetarians) do not usually trouble to tell consumers which type of ingredient or additive the use. Listed below are some of the ones you may come across and want to avoid. There is almost always a vegetarian alternative available.

ALBUMEN derived from eggs: probably battery hen eggs.
ANCHOVIES: are fish. Check your Worcestershire Sauce bottle.
ANIMAL FAT: this does not mean butter! If it did, the manufacturers would be the first to say so. It could be tallow, lard, suet or dripping. Check pastry, biscuits, cakes ... just about everything.
ASPIC: is a savoury jelly made from fish or meat.
CALCIUM STEARATE: could be animal or vegetable derived.
CARMINIC ACID / CARMINE / COCHINEAL: also called E120 just to confuse matters! This is a red colouring made by crushing cochineal beetles or grubs. It is used in many sweets, desserts etc. and some red wine.
CHARCOAL: could be animal or vegetable derived.
CHITIN: used in the fining process of some wines, this is derived from crab or lobster shells.
EDIBLE FAT / FAT: could be animal or vegetable. If in doubt, assume the worst!
EGGS: egg used as a food ingredient will very likely be from battery hens. Apart form the appalling conditions they are kept in, these hens may have been fed on animal or fish meal.
FATTY ACIDS: used as an emulsifier in many foods, these are usually animal derived.
GELATINE / GELATIN: a thickener made by boiling up slaughter; house products such as animal skins, bones, ligaments, tendons, hooves etc with water. It is used widely in jellies, ice cream, yoghurts, desserts, nougat, sweets and some cheeses. It is also used to make capsules for vitamin supplements and drugs.
GLUCOSAMINE: Widely available as part or whole of the ingredients of joint pain remedies, this supplement is made from crabs.
GLYCEROL / GLYCERINE: could be synthetic, animal or vegan (although rarely the latter). Found in lots of things including chewing gum.
HYDROLYSED PROTEIN: is a flavour enhancer. It could be animal, vegetarian or vegan. Check soups, packet foods, soya sauce etc. Some manufacturers state 'vegetable' on their labels.
ISINGLASS: is derived from the swim bladder of fish. It is used as a fining agent in many wines and beers, although it has usually been removed from the finished product. Some manufacturers don't use it at all.
MARINE OILS: no, these are not extracted from seaweed! This oil is taken from fish and other sea creatures including sharks. Check margarines and biscuits.
PEPSIN: is a clotting agent made from pigs' stomachs. It is sometimes used in the cheese; making process.
RENNET: is an enzyme taken from the stomach of a newly killed calf. It is used in cheese; making. Vegetarian cheeses are now widely available.
SHELLAC / E904: resin made from insect secretions. Check sweets in particular.
SHORTENING: assume animal fat, unless ‘vegetable shortening’ is stated.
SOUP / STOCK: consume with care. Even vegetable soup in tins or in restaurants may contain meat or fish stock.
STEARIC ACID: a by; product of the soap industry; usually of animal origin. Used as an emulsifier in foods.
SUPPLEMENTS: many vitamin and mineral supplements are not vegetarian; look for 'suitable for vegetarians / vegans' on the label. Some supplements come in capsules which are made of gelaItine.
WHEY: used in many food products; margarines, biscuits, packet foods, crisps etc. Whey is a by-product of the cheese industry so there is a strong possibility that animal rennet has been used.

Some ‘E’ numbers to look out for

E120, 542, 904, 920, also Leucine and Spermaceti/Sperm oil which have no number. These are definitely not suitable for vegetarians.
E153, 203, 422, 430-436, 470-478, 481-483, 570, 572. These can be either animal or vegetable origin.

Now it's time to look at inedibles, some of which seem so innocent in their pretty packaging. Ingredients which are often found in household cleaners, cosmetics and foods include: pepsin, rennet, glycerol (FA22), collagen, sterates, fatty acids, tallow, reticulin, keratin, elastin, aspic, amino acids and glycerine.

ANIMAL TESTING: Cosmetics, household cleaning products, bleaches, polishes and toiletries such as toothpaste, bubblebath, aftershave and shampoos will all normally have been tested on animals either before or after the ingredients were put together. Instead, look for companies which specify that their products have not been tested on animals, for instance, Ecover etc., available from healthfood shops.
BEDDING: Quilts and pillows may be composed of duck down or feathers from ducks which have been slaughtered or cruelly plucked. Mattresses may contain hair or feather.
BEESWAX: Used in cosmetics and household polishes, derived from commercial beekeeping which may involve cruelty.
BONE CHINA: not just a fancy name; bone is actually added to the clay.
BRlSTLES: taken from dead pigs and other animals, bristles are used for paint brushes, cosmetic brushes, shaving brushes etc. Use Harris No; loss synthetic paint brushes or Windsor and Newton Cotman range instead.
CATGUT: from sheep intestines, catgut is used on some tennis racquets and surgical stitching.
CIGARETTES: have been tested on animals – another good reason not to smoke!
COSMETICS: despite the pretty colours and packaging, most cosmetics harbour hidden nasties; collagen, shellac, shark oil, turtle wax.... Instead, buy cruelty free ranges from the health food shop.
GLUES: may be fish or animal source but are often synthetic.
KERATIN: a protein used in shampoos and conditioners; probably animal source.
MUSK: deer musk is obtained from farmed deer and is used in some perfumes.
'NEW', ‘IMPROVED': any household cleaner, detergent, polish etc., which is new to the market or ‘improved', will probably have been recently tested on animals because new formulations are usually subject to toxicity tests.
ORGANIC: Organic gardening compounds may contain dried blood, bone or hoof meal, fish meal as fertilisers. Instead, go veganic by using seaweed; based fertilisers.
PEARLS: pearls, shells, coral and sponges to make jewellry, lampshades, ornaments etc., will have been harvested from natural sources or will have been farmed. Either way, the animal dies.
PERFUME: castorium, a frequent ingredient in perfume, is the anal sex gland of a farmed beaver. Anything with the prefix ‘cetyl' comes from a whale. Ambergris is a fixitive, also from whales.
SILK: silk worms are either gassed or boiled to death to obtain their thread for making garments.
SOAP: most soaps are tallow; based and are tested on animals. Look for vegetable soaps in your local health food shop.
TALLOW: tallow is the best selling line of the rendering industry. it is a slaughterhouse by-product and is used by soap and detergent manufacturers for toilet soaps, washing powder and fabric conditioner. As ingredients do not have to be listed on washing powder boxes etc., it is safe to assume that tallow (from dead cows, sheep or pigs), has been used unless the container states 'vegetable oil only'. Instead, buy a cruelty; free, vegetable brand such as Ecover, or all vegetable soaps.
TOOTHPASTE: glycerine is a frequent ingredient, and toothpastes will have been tested on animals. Use a cruelty; free paste such as 'Kingfisher' from your health food shop.

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