If you don't have a degree in chemistry, some of the things vegetarians must avoid are less obvious than others. These include... Carmine, Cochineal (E120), Gelatine, Albumin, Marine Oil, Shellac (904), Edible Bone Phosphate (542), Spermacetti and Sperm Oil. All of these are produced from animals, insects or fish. Most Hydrolysed Protein is meat derived. Genuine Rennet, although not actually part of the animal, is a direct by-product of the veal industry. Bouillon (not marked Vegetable Bouillon,) may be assumed to be of animal origin. Less clear are items such as Emulsifier, Flavouring, Glycerine (E422), Stearic Acid (570) and Magnesium Stearate (572) unless marked "of vegitable origine," unspecified Margarine and food Starch. Although there are a number of books around on food additives, including "E for Additives" published by Thorsons, none give the non-scientific reader a concise answer in plain words, as to where this or that ingredient is derived?
Gelatine is found in all too many products such as ice creams which are produced by a stamping process, like "Walls Funny Feet" rather than poured into a mould and frozen. It is obtained from the tissue surrounding the bone, particularly the joints. Bearing in mind Government health warnings about 'Beef on the Bone' since this article first appeared in print, it seems strange that no one has thought to ban beef gelatine, which used by the pharmaceutical trade for capsuls. So for that matter is normal Magnesium Stearate which is essentially, finally powdered bone, which is used in most pill manufacture as a lubricant or bulking agent. There are vegetarian sources available for both, but seldom used by the industry.
SYNTHETIC
Copyright © David
Aherne 1992 - 2003.
First published in 'Today's Vegetarian 1992'
The information contained on these pages is and remains the copyright of THE
VEGETARIAN GOURMET. Copyright © Vegetarian Gourmet 2000.
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It is not only newcomers to vegetarianism who have difficulty determining the source of many ingredients, even food chemists who understand the names, can not always identify their source! Some more cynical people might wonder, if the alien sounding names and mystic "E" numbers, aren't simply being used to hide ingredients most people would shun, given half a chance. It does seem pointless otherwise, putting on a list of names, many of which are meaningless to the majority of the public.
Here in Britain we use more food additives than any other country in Europe, the number has now topped the 400 mark when the last batch of new additives were approved. Even for those of us who have been vegetarian for some time, there are still pitfalls awaiting the unwary. At one time you could look at a packet and if it said it contained beef fat or meat extract you knew immediately it was not for you, but it has been made much more difficult with so many new chemical food enhancers coming onto the market. These items, commonplace in the food factory, would never be seen in the kitchen of the normal home. Perhaps the food manufacturers are relying too heavily on peoples reluctance to show their ignorance in shops, by asking the shop staff what the ingredients actually are! If this is the case then asking manager of your local supermarket to find out if a product is suitable for you, is one way to get the major supermarket chains to put pressure on the manufacturers to clarify ingredient lists.
In France for many years "Royco" have shown the percentages of animal, vegetable and mineral ingredients used in their soups, if that could be extended to cover egg and milk derived ingredients, then applied to all food products in Europe, it would make life easier not only for Vegetarians and Vegans, but also for Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Sikhs and those of other faiths with dietary laws.
Understanding ingredient lists is further complicated by the fact that in some cases a specific ingredient can be obtained from either vegetable or animal sources, unless the manufacturer has decided their product is to be suitable for vegetarians, then they themselves may be unaware of the exact origin of that ingredient. Asda Stores say, they are well aware of the growing body of "Vegetarian Shoppers" and although they do have a separate vegetarian section in their Frozen Foods, do they or the other major supermarkets really understand the frustration felt by vegetarians looking for suitable foods? Asda still hide their own brand chilled vegetarian "Cumberland Sausages" in amongst the meat sausages... where vegetarians will probably not be looking for vegetarian products!
At one time, to help customers locate vegetarian products quickly, Asda produced transparent plastic slips for their vegetarian products, which fitted over the price label on the edge of the shelf. These were to be applied to all foods which are free from animal derivatives and had Asda's own vegetarian symbol together with the name of the product to ensure they are not placed on the wrong item by mistake. This made shopping very simple and saved people like me from having to scour lists of ingredients, often in tiny print.
Ingredients Listing
When in doubt about a particular ingredient, contact the manufacturer and ask them the source of that ingredient. The classic response is "Its synthetic!" As if it had suddenly popped into existance in a laboratory. We all know you cannot produce something from nothing, so your next question might well be, "What is it produced from?" if the answer is "Chemicals!" you can bet they have something to hide...
H O M E - P A G E