Depends on Source
How we decideSome routes to it require the animal to die and some do not, and the label rarely says which was used.
The two diets, side by side
A vegetarian diet excludes animals that were killed. A vegan diet excludes animal products entirely, whether the animal survived or not. Albumin can fall either side of that line depending on how it was made.
Albumin is not vegan. Most food-grade albumin is dried egg white, or ovalbumin, and the rest is recovered from blood serum or milk. An 'egg-free' label settles nothing, since blood albumin carries no egg at all.
What it is
- Comes from
- Most commonly derived from egg whites (ovalbumin). Can also be derived from blood serum (serum albumin) or milk.
- Which animal
- hen, or cattle where it is recovered from blood serum or milk
- Requires slaughter
- Yes
- Where you meet it
- Baked goods, wine and beer (as a fining agent), some pasta, sports recovery products.
- What replaces it
- Aquafaba (chickpea water), flaxseed gel, commercial egg replacers.
Editorial notes
Egg albumin is a very effective foaming and binding agent. 'Egg-free' does not necessarily mean albumin-free if blood albumin is used.
Frequently asked questions
Is Albumin vegetarian?
Depends on Source. Some routes to it require the animal to die and some do not, and the label rarely says which was used.
Is Albumin vegan?
Not Vegan. Albumin is not vegan. Most food-grade albumin is dried egg white, or ovalbumin, and the rest is recovered from blood serum or milk. An 'egg-free' label settles nothing, since blood albumin carries no egg at all.
Is albumin vegan?
No, albumin in its standard commercial forms is not vegan. Albumin is an animal protein taken from egg whites, animal blood serum, or milk. Plant-based substitutes such as aquafaba exist. The ingredient labeled albumin itself is animal-derived.
What is albumin made from?
Albumin most commonly comes from egg whites, where it is called ovalbumin. It can also be recovered from the blood serum of slaughtered animals or from milk. All three sources are animal-derived.
Is albumin in beer and wine?
It can be. Albumin is sometimes used as a fining agent to clarify beer and wine, alongside other animal-derived agents like gelatin and isinglass. Because it is filtered out and treated as a processing aid, it often does not appear on the label, so choosing products marked vegan is the most reliable way to avoid it.