Is Castoreum vegan?
Short answer
Castoreum is not vegan. Castoreum is a vanilla-like flavouring from beaver scent glands. Not vegan (though rarely used today).
Key takeaways
- Verdict: Castoreum is not vegan.
- Commonly found in: Some historical vanilla and raspberry flavourings, A handful of perfumes.
- Vegan alternatives: Real vanilla extract, Synthetic vanillin.
- Scan any barcode with VeggieOS (100% free) for an instant vegan verdict.
What it is
Yellow secretion from the castor sacs of beavers near the base of the tail.
Why not vegan
Animal-derived. Use is now rare due to cost and supply, but it remains a legal 'natural flavor'.
What a “Not vegan” verdict means
A not-vegan verdict means the ingredient is animal-derived in essentially all commercial supply, so a product listing it should be treated as non-vegan unless the manufacturer explicitly states a plant-based source in writing.
Where you'll find it
- Some historical vanilla and raspberry flavourings
- A handful of perfumes
At a glance
| Verdict | ❌ Not vegan |
|---|---|
| Ingredient family | Additives and E-numbers |
| Typical products | Some historical vanilla and raspberry flavourings, A handful of perfumes |
| Best vegan swap | Real vanilla extract |
| Settled by certification? | Not required |
How to read the label
Castoreum belongs to the additives and e-numbers family. These are the terms worth scanning for on any ingredient list in this category:
- E120
- E441
- E542
- E631
- E901
- E904
- E910
- E920
- E1105
- Mono- and diglycerides
- Cross-check the E-number rather than the trade name — the number is standardised, the name is not.
- Additives with both routes (E471, E422, E570) are usually plant-based in Europe but should be confirmed for imported products.
- Assume synthetic origin for colours other than E120 (cochineal) and E904 (shellac).
- Where the product carries a vegan trademark, the additive question is already answered.
Mistakes to avoid
| Where it catches people out | What to do |
|---|---|
| E471 mono- and diglycerides | Can be from palm, soy or tallow. Usually vegetable in the EU; email the manufacturer for imported snacks. |
| 'Natural flavouring' | A legal black box that may include dairy or meat-derived notes. Vegan-certified products are the workaround. |
| Shiny sweets and fruit | Glazing agents E901 (beeswax) and E904 (shellac) are insect-derived. |
Additives and E-numbers in context
Food additives are the hardest ingredient family for plant-based shoppers because a single E-number can legally describe a compound made from petroleum, plants, microbes or animals, and the label never says which.
Only a minority of additives are ever animal-derived, but that minority is widely used: emulsifiers, glazing agents, some acids and a few flavour enhancers. Where a plant and an animal route both exist, the plant route is usually cheaper, so the odds favour vegan — but odds are not certainty.
The practical approach is to memorise the short list of genuinely risky numbers rather than treating all E-numbers as suspect. Everything else is far more likely to be synthetic or plant-based.
Does certification help? Vegan trademarks are the only practical way to resolve additive ambiguity at scale, because certifiers audit supply chains that labels do not disclose.
Vegan alternatives
- Real vanilla extract
- Synthetic vanillin
FAQ
- Is castoreum common in food today?
- No — fewer than 300 lb are used annually in the US, mostly in perfumery.
- Are most E-numbers vegan?
- Yes — the large majority are synthetic or plant-derived. Fewer than a dozen commonly used additives are animal-derived.
- Why won't labels state the source?
- Food law requires the additive's function and identity, not its raw material origin, unless it is a declarable allergen.
Sources
- The Vegan Society — Definitions & ingredients
- PETA — Animal-derived ingredients list
- FDA — Food additive status list
Last reviewed June 4, 2026