Vegan products contain no animals or animal by-products, including dairy or eggs. The following lists common ingredients that cannot be used:

Animal-derived additives

E120 carmine (cochineal)

E542 edible bone phosphate

E631 sodium 5'-inosinate

E901 beeswax

E904 shellac

Lactose

Collagen

Animal fibers:

Such as mohair, Astrakhan lambskin, cashmere, wool, rabbit hair, goose down, duck down, etc.

Animal milk and animal milk derivatives:

Such as casein, sodium caseinate, lactate, lactic acid, lactose

Bee products:

Such as bee pollen, bee venom, beeswax, honey, propolis, royal jelly

Dairy products and by-products:

Such as butter, cheese, whey, yogurt

Eggs:

Such as hen, quail, duck, ostrich

Human-derived substances:

Such as keratin, placenta

Items obtained directly from slaughtered animals:

Such as fish (e.g. anchovy), game and its derivatives (e.g. meat/fish extract), poultry, meat

Marine animal products:

Such as ambergris, caviar, chitin, coral, fish scales, fish meal, isinglass and fish oil extracts (e.g. fish oil, shark oil (squalene or squalane), seal oil, whale oil), natural sponge, pearl, seal meat, shellfish, spermaceti, whale meat

Slaughter by-products

Animal fat (such as lard, suet, tallow), amino acids, aspic, bone, bone char, bone meal, pig bristle, collagen, down, dried blood, fatty acid derivatives, feathers, fur, gelatin (e), glycerin (e)/glycerol, hair, leather (leather, suede, etc.), hoof and horn meal, oleic acid, oleic oil, olesterol, pepsin, proteins (such as elastin, keratin, reticulin), rennet, skin, stearic acid

Other miscellaneous substances

Catgut, cordyceps, snails or insects, fixatives (such as musk, civet, castor oil), hormones (such as estrogen, progesterone, testosterone), ivory, lanolin (e), mink oil, parchment, placenta, silk, shellac, snake venom, certain vitamins (such as D3), urea, and any carrier containing/comprising substances of animal origin (gelatin (e) is sometimes used to carry beta-carotene and D2), processing aids (lactose is often used to fix flavors in potato chips) or release agents (sometimes used to prevent candy and baked goods from sticking to manufacturing equipment)

If a product is produced in a factory that contains animal ingredients, we require thorough cleaning of the machinery between runs. Then, an animal-origin test must be conducted, indicating that any non-vegan residue is five parts per million or less, before it can be considered suitable for vegan production. We work with manufacturers to establish systems that ensure there is no cross-contamination between vegan and non-vegan products and ingredients.

FAQ

What are the common animal-derived additives in vegan certification?
Common non-vegan additives include: E120 carmine (cochineal), E542 edible bone phosphate, E631 sodium 5'-inosinate, E901 beeswax, E904 shellac, as well as lactose and collagen. You should also watch for animal milk derivatives (casein, lactic acid, lactose), bee products (honey, propolis, royal jelly), dairy products (butter, cheese, whey, yogurt) and various eggs.
What easily overlooked slaughter by-products and miscellaneous substances are there in vegan certification?
Slaughter by-products include animal fat (lard, tallow), gelatin, glycerin, bone char, bone meal, collagen, oleic acid, pepsin, rennet, stearic acid, etc.; marine animal products include ambergris, caviar, fish scales, fish meal, isinglass, squalene/squalane, spermaceti, etc. There are also hidden carriers/processing aids such as lanolin, silk, shellac, vitamin D3, using gelatin to carry beta-carotene, and using lactose to fix flavors in potato chips.
How can vegan products be produced in a factory that contains animal ingredients?
If a product is produced in a factory containing animal ingredients, the machinery must be thoroughly cleaned between different batch runs, and then an animal-origin test must be conducted to prove that any non-vegan residue is five parts per million (5 ppm) or less before it is considered suitable for vegan production; it is also necessary to work with the manufacturer to establish systems ensuring no cross-contamination between vegan and non-vegan products and ingredients.