Blood Albumin (Historical Fining) — Hidden Processing Agent — Is It Vegan?

Vegan status: Not Vegan

Also known as: Dried blood, Ox blood fining, Blood powder

Source

Derived from slaughterhouse blood, predominantly from cattle. Dried and powdered for use as a fining agent.

Used in

Traditional red wine fining (now largely discontinued in professional winemaking, still legally permitted in the EU as E551 in wine). Historical use in clarifying cider and beer.

Appears on label: No. Blood albumin is not required on wine labels. Its use is declining significantly.

How to avoid

Historical concern primarily — blood albumin use in commercial winemaking is rare. Modern wine fining uses isinglass, casein, egg albumin, gelatin, bentonite, or vegan alternatives. For absolute certainty, seek Barnivore-verified or producer-certified vegan wines.

Notes

Blood albumin (dried ox blood) was widely used in red wine fining in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Its use has declined dramatically due to BSE (mad cow disease) regulations, public perception, and the availability of superior alternatives. It is still legally permitted in EU winemaking regulations but rarely used commercially. An important historical context for understanding the evolution of winemaking fining agents.