Albumen Derived from eggs (most likely from battery hens).
Alpaca Clothing material derived from the alpaca, a relative of the llama.
Anchovies Small, silvery fish of the herring family. Found on pizzas and in some brands of Worcester sauce.
Angora Animal-derived clothing fibre obtained from a special breed of rabbit or goat.
Animal Fat Derived from animal carcasses, not milk fat.
Aspic Savoury jelly derived from meat or fish.
Bread Most large manufacturers now use vegetable-based emulsifiers (471, 472, etc.), but local bakers may not.
Also refer to Flour below.
Brushes Animal hair can be used for paint, shaving, bath, and tooth brushes. Watch for "Natural Bristle".
Capsules Usually made from gelatine, vegetarian alternatives are becoming more readily available.
Casein The protein derived from milk.
Cashmere A clothing material that comes from the underbelly of a special breed of Himalayan goat (it's the animal's natural protection from the severe cold) and it is obtained by combing each goat by hand during the moulting season.
Caviar Fish eggs. The fish must be killed to obtain the eggs.
Cheese Likely to have been produced using animal rennet, which is derived from the stomach of killed calves. There are many non-animal rennet cheeses available - ask at your local health food shop. (For a listing of some of the cheeses available, refer to our Great Veggo Products page.)
Chewing gum Often contain glycerine. Wrigley's use a vegetable glycerine.
Chitin Produced from crab and shrimp shells.
Cochineal A natural red dye derived from the dried bodies of the female scale insect Dactylopius coccus costa. May be listed as 'colour 120'.
Down Usually from slaughtered ducks or geese, though some live plucking does occur, used in bedding.
Eggs Some vegetarians may wish to avoid battery eggs and/or barn eggs.
Emulsifier An ingredient used in many food products to facilitate the mixing of liquids that would otherwise not mix (e.g. oil and water). Emulsifiers can be derived from plant or animal sources.
Felt Made from wool or fur. Felt is usually made from wool, but it can be made from fur. You should be careful buying a felt hat as it may be either. Rabbit skin is often the source of fur for felt hats.
Film (Refer to Photography below.)
Flour Some commercial flours are treated with treatment agent 920 (L-Cysteine) which can be extracted from duck and chicken feathers. It is used as a 'dough improver' or 'bread improver'. The L-Cysteine is added to the ingredients during the mixing process prior to baking. During mixing, it reacts with a protein in wheat. As the original L-Cysteine amino acid is not present in the final product, by law there is no requirement to list it as an ingredient.
Gelatin/Gelatine A thickening, stabilising, emulsifying agent made by boiling animal skin, ligaments, bones, sinews or other connective tissue (usually cattle or pigs). Alternatives include Agar Agar, Carrageen and Gelozone.
Glycerin/Glycerine A colourless sweet thick oily liquid which is obtained from animal or vegetable fats and oils. Used in making explosives and medicines and for sweetening foods. In spite of its sweetness glycerine is not a sugar.
Gravy Vegetarian gravy mixes are available (eg Massell). Be careful in restaurants.
Honey Avoided by most vegans.
Isinglass A fining agent derived from the swim bladders of certain fish, especially the Chinese sturgeon. Used in the production of most beers and wines (Refer to our Alcoholic Beverages page.)
Jelly Usually contains gelatine, though alternatives are available. (Refer Great Places to Shop.)
Lactic Acid Lactic acid is bitter-tasting acid that forms when certain bacteria combine with lactose (milk sugar) or sugar. To produce lactic acid commercially, carbohydrates such as whey, cornstarch, potatoes or molasses are heated at high temperatures and fermented by bacteria.
Lactose The sugar derived from milk. Sometimes produced as a by-product of the cheese making process.
Lanolin A waxy grease from sheep's wool.
Lecithin An emulsifier (which allows water & oils to mix); it is mostly derived from soy beans, seeds, peanuts and maize. Although it may be derived from eggs, in this form it is usually declared as ‘egg yolk’ on food packaging and not as ‘322’.
Leather Around 10% of the value of an animal at slaughter is in its skin.
Mohair Clothing material derived from the white Angora goat. It's a long fibre, coarser than cashmere.
Musk Extracted from the genitals of musk deer, musk rats, civet and beavers by a cruel and painful process. Used in perfumery and as a flavouring. Musk can be replaced with plant based labdanum oil.
Pasta Some pasta may contain egg.
Pastry Some pastries contain animal fat.
PEG 120 (Methyl
Glucose Dioleate) Used in some cosmetics/toiletries. Derived from fish oil.
PPG 20 (Methyl
Glucose Ether) Used in some cosmetics/toiletries. Derived from fish oil.
PEG (Oleyl Alcohol) Used in some cosmetics/toiletries. Derived from fish oil.
Pepsin Enzyme from a pig's stomach, used like rennet.
Photography All photographic film uses gelatine. Fuji laboratories are investigating non-animal alternatives. They have so far been able to supplement a proportion of the animal based gelatine with a seaweed-based gelatine, but have not been able to yet develop a totally animal free gelatine which does not compromise the quality of their film.
Rennet An enzyme taken from the stomach of killed calves and used in the cheese making process as a coagulation agent. There are many non-animal rennet cheeses available - ask at your local health food shop. These cheeses use microbial or fungal enzymes instead. (For a listing of some of the cheeses available, refer to our Great Veggo Products page.)
Roe Fish eggs, see Caviar.
Shellac A resinous glaze derived from certain insects. Used as a glaze on some chocolate coated nuts, lollies, etc.
Silk Silk is the shiny fibre made by silkworms to form their cocoons. Worms are boiled in their cocoons to obtain the silk.
Soap Many soaps contain animal fats and/or glycerine. Vegetable oil based soaps are quite widely available.
Soup Watch out for meat-based stock. Be careful in restaurants. Vegetarian stock cubes are available, even in beef and chicken flavours (eg Massell).
Suede See Leather.
Suet Usually made from animal fat. Can be substituted with vegetable margarines (e.g. Nuttelex).
Toothpaste Many brands contain glycerine.
Washing powder Soap based powders may contain animal fats.
Whey The watery part of milk that separates from the curds (the more thick or coagulable part), especially in the process of making cheese.
Worcester Sauce Most brands contain anchovies.
Yoghurts Some yoghurts (even some soy yoghurts) contain gelatine.