Here are some of the most common unusual non-vegan ingredients. As long as you try to avoid these as much as possible, that’s all you can do since it can be very hard to pick up on every single non vegan ingredient while scanning the list of ingredients of foods.
Albunim
- What it is: The protein components of egg whites
- Where you find it: Processed foods
Carmina (carmine cochineal or carminic acid)
- What it is: Red coloring derived from ground up insects
- Where you find it: Bottled juices, candy, colored pasta, makeup, popsicles
Casein (caseinate)
- What it is: A milk protein
- Where you find it: In dairy products and sometimes soy cheeses
Glucose (dextrose)
- What it is: Fluids and tissues from animals (some glucose comes from fruit)
- Where you find it: Baked goods, carbonated drinks, candies, frosting
Glycerides (mono-, di- and triglycerides)
- What it is: Glycerol from animal fats (sometimes from plants)
- Where you find it: Processed foods
Isinglass
- What it is: Gelatin from the air bladder of freshwater fish, mostly the sturgeon
- Where you find it: Alcoholic beverage, jelly desserts
Lactic Acid
- What it is: An acid formed by bacteria acting on the milk sugar, lactose
- Where you find it: Cheese, yogurt, pickles, olives, sauerkraut, candy, frozen desserts, fruit preserves
Lactose (saccharum lactin, D-lactose)
- What it is: Milk sugar
- Where you find it: For souring milk and processed foods
Lactylic stearate
- What it is: Salt of stearic acid
- Where you find it: Bread dough
Lard
- What it is: Fat from pigs
- Where you find it: Baked goods, refried beans
Lecithin
- What it is: Phospholipids from animal tissues and eggs, sometimes from plants
- Where you find it: Baked goods, candy, cereal, chocolate, vegetable oil sprays
Lutein
- What it is: Yellow coloring from egg yolks (sometimes marigolds)
- Where you find it: Food coloring
Natural Flavor
- What it is: Usually derived from an assortment of animal products
- Where you find it: Beverages, boxed foods, canned foods, processed foods
Oleic acid (oleinic acid)
- What it is: Animal tallow
- Where you find it: Beverages, candy, condiments, vegetable fats and oils
Pepsin
- What it is: Enzyme from pigs’ stomachs
- Where you find it: Cheese
Stearic acid (octadecanoic acid)
- What it is: Tallow as well as other animal fats and oils
- Where you find it: Baked goods, beverages, candy, vanilla flavoring
Suet
- What it is: Fat around kidneys and loins of animals
- Where you find it: Pastries
Tallow
- What it is: Fat of sheep and cattle
- Where you find it: Margarine
Vitamin A (A1, retinol)
- What it is: Vitamin produced by microorganisms and found in all animal products; synthetic form (cyanocobalamin or cobalamin on labels) is vegan
- Where you find it: Vitamin supplements, fortified foods
Vitamin B12
- What it is: Vitamin produced by microorganisms and found in all animal products; synthetic form (cyanocobalamin or cobalamin on labels) is vegan
- Where you find it: Supplements, fortified foods
Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol)
- What it is: Comes from fish liver oils or lanolin
- Where you find it: Supplements, fortified foods
Whey
- What it is: Watery liquid that separates from the solids in cheese-making
- Where you find it: Breads, cakes, crackers, processed foods
For an even more detailed list, click here for Peta’s master post.
