Myth - Is Vegan Safe for Allergies?
At first glance, a product labeled “vegan” may seem like a safe alternative for anyone with an allergy to milk, egg, or even fish, crustaceans, or shellfish. However, products suitable for vegans may not be suitable for people with allergies.
They are dietary restrictions with different origin and motivation. Those who follow a vegan diet choose not to consume products that intentionally use ingredients of animal origin (e.g. meat, fish, crustaceans, molluscs, milk, eggs and honey), for reasons such as ethical, environmental and/or nutritional, while those with food allergies need products free from the allergens that affect them due to a health issue that can put their lives at risk (1,2).
There is no legal definition of what can be labeled “vegan”, but certifying bodies for vegan products assume that the (potential) presence of inadvertent traces of non-vegan or non-vegetarian substances should not be an obstacle to labeling a product as “vegan”. vegan or vegetarian, provided that such contamination occurs despite a careful production process that complies with good practice (3). Even products with the “Vegan” certification seal may have a warning on the label that “may contain” allergens of animal origin (1).
Therefore, it is important that allergic consumers do not automatically assume that products labeled “vegan” are suitable for them, due to the possibility of cross-contamination with allergens of animal origin (2).
As with all other products, in case of food allergy, a careful reading of the labels is advised to confirm the safety of the food .
In addition, as it is not mandatory to label the unintentional presence of traces of allergens, in the absence of information on allergens on the labeling , it is recommended to contact the brand or manufacturer directly to confirm that the product is effectively safe, especially if the person who is going to ingest it is sensitive to the presence of traces.
All Fidu products are free from ingredients of animal origin and their traces, including milk, egg, fish, crustaceans and molluscs, which belong to the list of the 14 main allergens that we also exclude.
We make a rigorous selection and control of suppliers and raw materials and we do not handle any ingredient of animal origin in our facilities, so that our products are safe for allergy sufferers and also reliable for those who follow a vegan diet.
Discover our products here .
-----
(1) The Vegan Society (s/d). Allergen labeling. Available at: https://www.vegansociety.com/
(2) Food and Drink Federation (2020). FDF Guidance on 'Allergen'-Free & Vegan Claims. Available at: https://www.fdf.org.uk/
(3) European Vegetarian Union (2018). EVU Position Paper: Definitions of “vegan” and “vegetarian” in accordance with the EU Food Information Regulation. Available at: https://www.euroveg.eu/
They are dietary restrictions with different origin and motivation. Those who follow a vegan diet choose not to consume products that intentionally use ingredients of animal origin (e.g. meat, fish, crustaceans, molluscs, milk, eggs and honey), for reasons such as ethical, environmental and/or nutritional, while those with food allergies need products free from the allergens that affect them due to a health issue that can put their lives at risk (1,2).
There is no legal definition of what can be labeled “vegan”, but certifying bodies for vegan products assume that the (potential) presence of inadvertent traces of non-vegan or non-vegetarian substances should not be an obstacle to labeling a product as “vegan”. vegan or vegetarian, provided that such contamination occurs despite a careful production process that complies with good practice (3). Even products with the “Vegan” certification seal may have a warning on the label that “may contain” allergens of animal origin (1).
Therefore, it is important that allergic consumers do not automatically assume that products labeled “vegan” are suitable for them, due to the possibility of cross-contamination with allergens of animal origin (2).
As with all other products, in case of food allergy, a careful reading of the labels is advised to confirm the safety of the food .
In addition, as it is not mandatory to label the unintentional presence of traces of allergens, in the absence of information on allergens on the labeling , it is recommended to contact the brand or manufacturer directly to confirm that the product is effectively safe, especially if the person who is going to ingest it is sensitive to the presence of traces.
All Fidu products are free from ingredients of animal origin and their traces, including milk, egg, fish, crustaceans and molluscs, which belong to the list of the 14 main allergens that we also exclude.
We make a rigorous selection and control of suppliers and raw materials and we do not handle any ingredient of animal origin in our facilities, so that our products are safe for allergy sufferers and also reliable for those who follow a vegan diet.
Discover our products here .
-----
(1) The Vegan Society (s/d). Allergen labeling. Available at: https://www.vegansociety.com/
(2) Food and Drink Federation (2020). FDF Guidance on 'Allergen'-Free & Vegan Claims. Available at: https://www.fdf.org.uk/
(3) European Vegetarian Union (2018). EVU Position Paper: Definitions of “vegan” and “vegetarian” in accordance with the EU Food Information Regulation. Available at: https://www.euroveg.eu/
