Hidden Food Processing Agents — Are They Vegan?

Isinglass in beer. Bone char in sugar. Processing agents are used during production but never appear on the final label. Below are 50 substances commonly used in food and drink production, with vegan status and how to avoid them.

All 50 processing agents

Isinglass — Not Vegan
Bone Char (Sugar Refining) — Not Vegan
Casein (Processing Agent) — Not Vegan
Egg Albumin (Wine Fining) — Not Vegan
Bentonite Clay — Vegan
Diatomaceous Earth — Vegan
Pepsin — Not Vegan
L-Cysteine (Dough Conditioner) — Depends on Source
Chitosan — Not Vegan
Rennet (Animal Rennet) — Not Vegan
Fermentation-Produced Chymosin (FPC) — Vegan
Shellac (Food Glaze) — Not Vegan
Beeswax (Food Glaze) — Not Vegan
Carnauba Wax — Vegan
Lanolin — Not Vegan
Lysozyme (E1105) — Not Vegan
Trypsin — Not Vegan
Lipase (Fat-Splitting Enzyme) — Depends on Source
Pectinase — Vegan
Amylase (Starch-Degrading Enzyme) — Vegan
Glucoamylase — Vegan
Lactase — Vegan
Transglutaminase (Meat Glue) — Vegan
Potassium Metabisulfite — Vegan
Nitrogen Gas (Modified Atmosphere Packaging) — Vegan
Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) — Vegan
Activated Carbon — Vegan
Silica Gel / Silicon Dioxide — Vegan
Oak Tannins (Oenotannins) — Vegan
Tartaric Acid (Wine Processing) — Vegan
Sodium Hydroxide (Lye) — Vegan
Calcium Chloride — Vegan
Hydrogen Peroxide — Vegan
Ethylene Gas (Fruit Ripening) — Vegan
Potassium Sorbate — Vegan
Irish Moss (Brewing Clarifier) — Vegan
Pea Protein (Wine Fining) — Vegan
Potato Protein (Beer/Wine Fining) — Vegan
Lard (Baking/Frying Fat) — Not Vegan
Tallow (Frying/Processing Fat) — Not Vegan
Porcine Gelatin (Beverage Fining) — Not Vegan
Sulphur Dioxide (Wine Preservative) — Vegan
Propylene Glycol — Vegan
Ozone (Surface Treatment) — Vegan
Blood Albumin (Historical Fining) — Not Vegan
Egg Albumin Powder (Wine/Juice Fining) — Not Vegan
Cellulose Filter Pads — Vegan
Microbial Protease — Vegan
Pepsin (Gastric Enzyme) — Not Vegan
Phospholipase — Depends on Source