There are many hidden animal products in foods. Many animal ingredients are present in very small amounts. Some animal products, such as casein and whey — both derived from dairy products — are acceptable for vegetarians to eat but are not acceptable to vegans. Others, such as rennet (which comes from the stomach lining of calves and other baby animals), is unacceptable to all vegetarians.
| Ingredient | What It Is | Where You Find It |
|---|---|---|
| Albumin | The protein component of egg whites | Processed foods |
| Anchovies | Small, silver-colored fish | Worcestershire sauce, Caesar salad dressing |
| Animal shortening | Butter, suet, lard | Packaged cookies and crackers, refried beans, flour tortillas, ready-made piecrusts |
| Carmine (carmine cochineal or carminic acid) | Red coloring made from a ground-up insect | Bottled juices, colored pasta, some candies, frozen pops |
| Casein (caseinate) | A milk protein | Dairy products and some soy cheeses. |
| Gelatin | Protein from bones, cartilage, tendons, and skin of animals | Marshmallows, yogurt, frosted cereals, gelatin-containing desserts |
| Glucose (dextrose) | Animal tissues and fluids (some glucose can come from fruits) | Baked goods, soft drinks, candies, frosting |
| Glycerides (mono-, di-, and triglycerides) | Glycerol from animal fats or plants | Processed foods |
| Isinglass | Gelatin from the air bladder of sturgeon and other freshwater fish | Alcoholic beverages, some jellied desserts |
| Lactic acid | An acid formed by bacteria acting on the milk sugar lactose | Cheese, yogurt, pickles, olives, sauerkraut, candy, frozen desserts, fruit preserves |
| Lactose (saccharum lactin, D-lactose) | Milk sugar | As a culture medium for souring milk and in processed foods |
| Lactylic stearate | Salt of stearic acid (see stearic acid) | As a conditioner in bread dough |
| Lard | Fat from the abdomens of pigs | Baked goods, refried beans |
| Lecithin | Phospholipids from animal tissues, plants, and egg yolks | Breakfast cereal, candy, chocolate, baked goods, margarine, vegetable oil sprays |
| Lutein | Deep yellow coloring from marigolds or egg yolks | Commercial food coloring |
| Oleic acid (oleinic acid) | Animal tallow | Synthetic butter, cheese, vegetable fats and oils, candy, ice cream, beverages, condiments |
| Pepsin | Enzyme from pigs’ stomachs | Cheese |
| Stearic acid (octadecanoic acid) | Tallow, other animal fats and oils | Vanilla flavoring, baked goods, beverages, candy |
| Suet | Hard white fat around kidneys and loins of animals | Margarine, mincemeat, pastries |
| Tallow | Solid fat of sheep and cattle separated from the membranous tissues | Margarine |
| Vitamin A (A1, retinol) | Vitamin obtained from vegetables, egg yolks, or fish liver oil | Vitamin supplements, fortification of foods |
| Vitamin B12 | Vitamin produced by microorganisms and found in all animal products; synthetic form (cyanocobalamin or cobalamin on labels) is vegan | Supplements, fortified foods |
| Vitamin D3 | Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) comes from fish liver oils or lanolin | Supplements, fortified foods |
| Whey | Watery liquid that separates from the solids in cheese-making | Crackers, breads, cakes, processed foods |