Ingredients from Animals

Discovering animal products on an ingredient label is not always easy. Products that are derived from animal have many different names that do not always indicate that they are animal by-products, so it is important to know how to recognize these ingredients on labels.

Our app, Now Find Vegetarian, can help you find safe, vegetarian food in your local grocery store.

Below is a list of ingredients that are animal by-products. This is not an exhaustive list, by only the products that we have come across.

If you find a product or ingredient that you cannot verify as animal free, always contact the manufacturer for verification.

Albumen or albumin – Egg or animal by-product

Ambergris – Sperm whale by-product

Anchovies, Anchovy paste or other fish

Bone char – Used in the production of white sugar

Casein – Cow milk protein

Carmine or Carminic acid – Insect by-product used as a coloring agent in food and cosmetics

Castoreum or Castor – North American beaver by-product used in perfume and in food as “natural flavoring”

Chitosan – Shellfish by product used in pharmaceuticals

Cochineal or cochineal dye – Insect by-product used as a coloring agent in food and cosmetics

Collagen – Marine or cattle by-product used in cosmetics

Confectioner’s glaze or Confectioner’s resin – Insect by-product used in food and pharmaceuticals

Estrogen or estradiol – Animal by-product used in cosmetics, skin and hair care products

Gelatin – Animal by-product used in food products, health and beauty products and cosmetics

Guanine – Made from crushed fish scales. Commonly found in mascaras, nail polishes and lipsticks

Isinglass – Fish by-product used in wine making and beer brewing

Lac Resin or shellac – Insect by-product used in food wax and food products for shine

Lanolin – Sheep by-product used in cosmetics

Lard – Animal by-product used in prepared foods, health and beauty products and cosmetics

Pepsin – Hog by-product used in cheese production and supplements

Rennet – Cattle by-product used in cheese

Resin or Shellac – Insect by product used in food wax and food products for shine

Retinol – Animal by-product used in cosmetics

Squalene – Shark by-product used in skincare products

Tallow – Animal by-product used in candle and soap production

Whey or whey protein – a milk product