Vegan 2000 - What to Avoid

Vegan 2000 - Lifestyle of the Millennium

What to Avoid

Vegans must watch out for foods which contain animal substances. Below is a list of things vegans should look out for:

albumen/albumin: egg white. Use/s: food binder
alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs): naturally occurring chemicals derived from fruit or milk. Use/s: cosmetics
ambergris: morbid concretion obtained from the intestine of the sperm whale. Use/s: perfumes
amniotic fluid: fluid surrounding the foetus within the placenta. Use/s: cosmetics
anchovy: small fish of the herring family. Often an ingredient of Worcester sauce and pizza toppings. Use/s: flavor enhancer
angora: fiber obtained from rabbits or goats. Use/s: clothing
aspic: jelly derived from meat and fish. Use/s: glazing agent
astrakhan: skin of still born or very young lambs from a breed originating in Astrakhan, Russia. Use/s: clothing
bristle: stiff animal hair, usually from pigs. Use/s: brushes
casein: Ammonium Caseinate. Calcium Caseinate. Potassium Caseinate. Sodium Caseinate. The principle protein of cow's milk. Use/s: texturizer for ice cream, frozen custard, ice milk, fruit sherbets, and in special diet preparations.
cashmere: fine wool from the cashmere goat and wild goat of Tibet. Use/s: clothing
castoreum: obtained from the anal sex gland of the beaver. Use/s: fixative in perfumes
catgut: dried and twisted intestines of the sheep or horse. Use/s: stringed musical instruments, surgical stitching
caviar: roe of the sturgeon and other fish. Use/s: a relish
chitin: organic base of the hard parts of insects and crustacea eg shrimps, crabs. Use/s: conditioners and skin care products, thickener and moisturiser in shampoos
chamois: soft leather from the skin of the chamois antelope, sheep, goats, deer, etc. Use/s: cleaning cloth
cochineal (E120): dye-stuff consisting of the dried bodies of scale insects. Use/s: red food and drink coloring
cod liver oil: oil extracted from the liver of cod and related fish. Use/s: food supplement
D3 (cholecalciferol): vitamin derived from lanolin or fish oil. Use/s: vitamin and food supplements
down: underplummage of fowls (especially duck and goose). Use/s: filling quilts, pillows, sleeping bags, padded clothing
eider down: small, soft feathers from the breast of the eider duck. Use/s: filling quilts
elastin: protein uniting muscle fibers in meat. Use/s: moisturizer in cosmetics
gelatin: jelly obtained by boiling animal tissues (skin, tendons, ligaments etc) or bones. Use/s: confectionery, biscuits, capsules, jellies, photographic film, match heads
glycerin/glycerol (E422): clear, colourless liquid which may be derived from animal fats, synthesised from propylene or from fermentation of sugars. Use/s: solvent for flavours, texture improver, humectant
hide: animal skin (raw or tanned). Use/s: clothing and footwear, clothing accessories, upholstery
isinglass: very pure form of gelatin obtained from the air bladders of some freshwater fishes, especially the sturgeon. Use/s: clarifying alcoholic drinks, jellies
keratin: protein found in hair, horns, hoofs and feathers. Use/s: shampoos and conditioners, fertilizer
L'cysteine hydrochloride (E920): manufactured from animal hair and chicken feathers, or synthetically from coal tar. Use/s: shampoo, improving agent for white flour
lactose: milk sugar. Use/s: tablet filler, sweetener, 'carrier' for flavoring agents & emdash; especially in crisps
lanolin: fat extracted from sheep's wool. Use/s: cleaning products, an emollient and emulsifier used in cosmetics & emdash; especially lipsticks
lard: fat surrounding the stomach and kidneys of the pig, sheep and cattle. Use/s: culinary
leather: tanned hide (mostly from cattle but also sheep, pigs, goats etc). Use/s: clothing and footwear, clothing accessories, upholstery
lecithin (E322): fatty substance found in nerve tissues, egg yolk, blood and other tissues. Use/s: emulsifier in baked goods and confectionery
lutein(E161(b)): substance of deep yellow colour found in egg yolk. Use/s: food coloring
mohair: cloth or yarn made from the hair of the angora goat. Use/s: clothing
musk: substance secreted in a gland or sac by the male musk deer. Use/s: perfume
oleoic oil: liquid obtained from pressed tallow. Use/s: margarines
oleostearin: solid obtained from pressed tallow. Use/s: soap and candle making
oestrogen: female sex hormone from cow ovaries or pregnant mares' urine. Use/s: cosmetics, body building supplements, hormone creams
pearl ('Mother of', or 'cultured'): concretion of layers of pain-dulling nacre formed around a foreign particle within the shell of various bivalve molluscs, principally the oyster. Use/s: jewelry and decorative
pepsin: enzyme found in gastric juices. Use/s: cheese making
placenta: organ by which the foetus is attached to the umbilical cord. Use/s: cosmetics
progesterone: sex hormone. Use/s: hormone creams
propolis: bee glue. Used by bees to stop up crevices and fix combs to the hive. Use/s: toiletries and cosmetics
rennet: extract of calf stomach. Contains the enzyme renin which clots milk. Use/s: cheese making, junkets
roe eggs: obtained from the abdomen of slaughtered female fish. Use/s: a relish
sable: fur from the sable marten, a small carnivorous mammal. Use/s: clothing, artists' brushes
shellac (E904): insect secretion. Use/s: hair spray, lip sealer, polishes, glazing agent
silk: cloth made from the fibre produced by the larvae ('silk worm') of certain bombycine moths, the harvesting of which entails the destruction of the insect. Use/s: clothing, cosmetics
sodium 5'-inosinate: occurs naturally in muscle. Prepared from fish waste. Use/s: flavor enhancer
sperm oil: oil found in the head of various species of whales. Use/s: candle making
spermaceti wax: fatty substance found mainly in the head of the sperm whale, other whales and dolphins. Use/s: medicines, candle making, cosmetics
sponge: aquatic animal or colony of animals of a 'low order', characterized by a tough elastic skeleton of interlaced fibers. Use/s. bathing aid
squalene/squalane: found in the liver of the shark (and rats). Use/s: toiletries and cosmetics
stearate: salt of stearic acid Use/s: body building supplements
stearic acid (E570): organic acid prepared from stearin
stearin(e): general name for the three glycerids (monostearin, distearin, tristearin). Formed by the combination of stearic acid and glycerin; chiefly applied to tristearin, which is the main constituent of tallow or suet. Use/s: medicines, skin softener in toiletries and cosmetics
suede: kid-, pig- or calf-skin, tanned. Use/s: clothing and footwear
suet: solid fat prepared from the kidneys of cattle and sheep. Use/s: cooking
tallow: hard animal fat, especially that obtained from the parts about the kidneys of ruminating animals. Use/s: soap and candle making
testosterone: male hormone. Use/s: body building supplements
urea: waste nitrogen formed in the liver and excreted by the kidneys. Use/s: toiletries and cosmetics
vellum: fine parchment prepared from the skins of calves, lambs or kids. Use/s: writing material
vitamin A (retinol): derived from fish liver oil or egg yolk. Use/s: cosmetics, food supplement
volaise: ostrich meat
whey: residue from milk after the removal of the casein and most of the fat. By-product of cheese making. Use/s: margarines, biscuits, crisps, cleaning products
wool: hair forming the fleecy coat of the domesticated sheep (and similar animals). Use/s: clothing

Citations and References