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Is it vegan?

Quick verdicts on 144+ common ingredients

Honey, whey, gelatin, carmine, lanolin, lecithin — straightforward answers, what to look for on labels, and what to buy instead.

Person checking a packaged food ingredient label in a supermarket

Not vegan (65)

Depends (37)

Vegan (42)

Short answer

Most accidental non-vegan purchases come from a short list of repeat offenders: whey and casein in snacks, gelatine in sweets and capsules, carmine (E120) in red-coloured foods and cosmetics, shellac (E904) on shiny confectionery and fruit, L-cysteine (E920) in bread, and vitamin D3 from lanolin in fortified products. Learn those seven and you will catch the large majority of hidden animal ingredients on a label.

Key takeaways

  • Some additives are animal-derived, such as E120 carmine and E904 shellac; others, including E920 L-cysteine, depend on their source. Check the specific additive rather than rejecting all E numbers.
  • 'Natural flavouring' is legally allowed to be animal-derived and rarely specifies its source.
  • Mono- and diglycerides (E471) and stearic acid can come from either plant or animal fat.
  • Vitamin D3 is usually lanolin from sheep's wool unless the label says lichen-derived.
  • Allergen bolding helps: milk and egg must be declared, so those two are the easiest to catch.
  • Sugar, wine, beer and juice can be processed with bone char or isinglass without appearing in the ingredient list.

Why labels hide animal ingredients so effectively

Food labelling law is built around allergens and safety, not diets. Manufacturers must declare milk and egg because people react to them, but they are not required to state whether the glycerides came from palm oil or tallow, whether the sugar was filtered through bone char, or whether the flavouring was derived from a dairy culture. That regulatory gap is where most surprises live.

Processing aids are the second gap. An ingredient used to make a product but not present in the finished item does not need to appear on the label at all. Isinglass, a fish-derived fining agent, clarifies some beers and wines; gelatine does the same for certain juices. The bottle looks entirely plant-based and the ingredient list is silent.

The ambiguous ingredients, ranked by how often they matter

Examples you may encounter include mono- and diglycerides (E471), natural flavourings, lactic acid and lactates, glycerol/glycerine, stearic acid and magnesium stearate, vitamin D3, and enzymes in cheese and baked goods. Each of these has a plant version and an animal version, and the label almost never says which.

Two practical shortcuts help. First, certified vegan logos — the Vegan Society trademark, V-Label, Certified Vegan — mean the manufacturer has confirmed sourcing for exactly these ambiguous items. Second, plant-based flagship brands generally source plant versions across their range, so verify the exact product rather than assuming that one vegan item establishes the status of the whole range.

Non-food labels: cosmetics, medicines and household goods

Cosmetic INCI lists carry their own set: carmine (CI 75470) in red pigments, lanolin and its derivatives, beeswax (cera alba), keratin, collagen, silk amino acids, guanine from fish scales in shimmer products, and squalene when it is shark-derived rather than olive-derived.

Medicines are a genuine exception. Most capsule shells are gelatine, many tablets use lactose as a filler, and some vaccines and treatments have no plant-based equivalent. Ask a pharmacist for a vegetarian-capsule or tablet alternative where one exists, and do not stop a prescribed medicine over an ingredient list.

Reading a vegan ingredient label: step by step

  1. Read the allergen line first

    Bolded or listed milk and egg settle the question immediately for a large share of products.

  2. Scan the E numbers

    Check for E120, E441, E542, E904, E910, E920, E966 and E1105 — the animal-derived set.

  3. Flag the ambiguous ones

    Mono- and diglycerides, natural flavourings, glycerol, stearates, lactic acid and vitamin D3 need a source check.

  4. Look for a certification mark

    A Vegan Society, V-Label or Certified Vegan logo means the ambiguous items have already been verified.

  5. Check the processing aids

    For wine, beer, cider and juice, look for 'suitable for vegans' or check the producer — fining agents do not appear on labels.

  6. Scan it in VeggieOS

    A barcode scan returns a plain verdict, the flagged ingredients and a confidence level in a couple of seconds — free, with no paid plans.

The animal-derived and ambiguous ingredients you will meet most often

The animal-derived and ambiguous ingredients you will meet most often
IngredientVerdictWhere it appearsWhat to look for instead
Carmine (E120, CI 75470)Not veganRed sweets, yoghurts, lipstick, blusherBeetroot, lycopene, anthocyanin colours
Gelatine (E441)Not veganGummies, marshmallows, capsules, moussesPectin, agar-agar, carrageenan
Whey / caseinNot veganCrisps, chocolate, protein bars, breadPea, soy or rice protein
Shellac (E904)Not veganGlazed confectionery, waxed apples, nail polishCarnauba wax, zein
L-cysteine (E920)DependsBagels, pizza dough, industrial breadSynthetic or fermentation-derived versions
Mono- & diglycerides (E471)DependsBread, ice cream, spreads, baked goodsCertified-vegan brands or palm-derived declarations
Vitamin D3DependsFortified milks, cereals, supplementsLichen-derived D3, or vitamin D2
Natural flavouringDependsAlmost everything processedCertified logo, or contact the manufacturer
HoneyNot veganCereals, sauces, cosmetics, teasMaple, date, agave, brown rice syrup
Isinglass (processing aid)Not veganSome cask beers and winesBottles marked 'suitable for vegans'

Mistakes to avoid

Trusting the front of the pack

'Plant-based', 'dairy-free' and 'meat-free' are marketing terms with no vegan guarantee. The ingredient list is the only binding text.

Assuming all E numbers have the same origin

An E number identifies an additive, not necessarily its source. Some are plant-derived, some animal-derived and some can be either.

Ignoring drinks

Wine, beer and cider are frequently fined with isinglass, gelatine or egg albumen, none of which appear on the label.

Overlooking reformulation

Recipes change without fanfare. A product that was vegan last year may not be now — rescan occasionally.

Applying food rules to medicine

Capsules and excipients are often animal-derived and alternatives may not exist. Talk to a pharmacist rather than skipping treatment.

Frequently asked questions

Which E numbers are not vegan?
The reliably animal-derived ones are E120 (carmine), E441 (gelatine), E542 (bone phosphate), E904 (shellac), E910 and E920 (L-cysteine, when hair or feather derived), E966 (lactitol, from lactose) and E1105 (lysozyme, from egg white). E471 mono- and diglycerides and E322 lecithin can be either plant or animal derived.
Is 'natural flavouring' vegan?
Not necessarily. The term legally covers flavour compounds from any natural source, including dairy, meat and fish. In practice most are plant-derived, but the only certain answers are a vegan certification mark or a direct reply from the manufacturer.
Is sugar vegan?
Beet sugar is generally produced without bone-char filtration. Cane sugar may be filtered through bone char, particularly in the United States. Processing varies by producer and market, and the label may not name processing aids. Ask the manufacturer or look for a credible vegan claim when this matters to you.
Is vitamin D3 vegan?
Usually not: standard D3 (cholecalciferol) is extracted from lanolin in sheep's wool. Lichen-derived D3 is vegan and is normally labelled as such because it is a selling point. Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) is always plant-derived.
How fast can I check a product in a shop?
Scanning a barcode in VeggieOS takes a couple of seconds and returns a verdict, the specific flagged ingredients and a confidence level. You can also paste an ingredient list from a photo or a website. It is completely free.

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