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No bananas please, we're vegetarian! The foods you think are safe to eat but actually contain SECRET animal products
- Karin Ridgers, founder of VeggieVision TV, has identified stealthy foods
- Bananas can sometimes be sprayed with a pesticide which has shellfish
- When pollinating figs, wasps can die in the fruit and become part of it
Think bananas, figs and miso soup are perfect foods for vegetarians? Think again.
A range of foods, from fruit and packaged cereal to beer and even figs, are assumed to be safe to eat, yet an expert warns that these items can contain animal products.
What is more worrying for vegetarians and vegans is that ingredients lists on packages might list product names, but not what's in them, like the food colouring carmine that is derived from crushed beetles, while few would realise that the pesticides used to spray bananas can contain shellfish.
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Figs incorporate the proteins of dead wasps which may have died in them
Gelatine, made from the boiled animal matter, is what gives marshmallows their bouncy shape
Foods which are coloured with a natural red dye will more often than not contain carmine, made from crushed up beetles
Vegan campaigner Karin Ridgers, founder of VeggieVision TV, insists that vegetarians should do their homework before eating anything.
Ms Ridgers told MailOnline: 'Read the list of ingredients, and if you are not sure what the ingredient actually is, just research it. You will then know forever.
'I never eat anything unless I can read the ingredients; there are a lot of non-veggie ingredients that I feel everyone would want to avoid, vegetarian or not.'
She added that only way to know if a packaged item is meat-free is if it has an official label.
'Ingredients lists frequently change so always cast an eye over them before buying and keep a look out for The Vegetarian Society approved symbol, The Vegan Society registered symbol or the Viva! Symbol as these products have passed testing to confirm that they are vegetarian-/vegan-friendly,' she said.
Here is a list of the foods you could order in a restaurant, a bar, or in your deli - as well as at the supermarket - that contain stealth animal products.
Kellogg's Frosted Wheats for instance has beef gelatine, from cows' bones, in it to make the sugar stick to the cereal
Unless it's specified, never assume that miso soup is vegetarian as the broth can contain fish flakes
Karin Ridgers of VeggieVision TV
MISO SOUP
While it might contain tofu, a staple in many vegetarians' diet, miso soup, more often than not, is made with dashi (water, dried, kelp and fish flakes), the backbone of most Japanese cuisine.
Dashi is what gives miso soup, and most other Japanese soups, its strong umami flavour.
PARMESAN
WHAT IS GELATINE?
Gelatine appears in many an ingredient list but what is it actually made of?
According to PETA, gelatine comes from skin, tendons, ligaments and bones of pigs and cows which are boiled in water.
It is rich in collagen and commonly used as a gelling agent in desserts, dips, yogurts, sweets and marshmallows.
It's a little known fact but Parmigiano-Reggiano or Parmesan, is not considered authentic unless it is made with animal rennet – which comes from the stomach lining of calves.
This is a strict regulation which denotes that a cheese is actually Parmesan. Calves' rennet also appears in Pecorino Romano, Grana Padano and Gorgonzola.
FIGS
A surprising addition to this list. While figs themselves are not meat, they may contain insects such as dead wasps in them.
This happens when a wasp pollinates a fig and gets stuck inside the fruit and dies there.
However, when you do bite into the fig, you won't be able to see the dead wasp contained within as an enzyme in the fruit converts the wasp into protein.
Parmigiano-Reggiano or Parmesan is made with animal rennet
Some beers and stouts such as Guinness have particles of fish bladder, known as isinglass, in them
VEGGIE RESOURCES
Dummies.com - Lists all the hidden animal ingredients in food
Vegetarian Society - Useful fact sheets on cheese and other products
Barnivore - Comprehensive list on vegetarian and vegan beers, wines and spirits.
Vegan Recipe Club - Curated info on vegan-friendly companies.
Accidentally Vegan - Tumblr account listing foods which are not commercially identified as vegan but safe for non-meat eaters to consume.
PETA - How to shop vegan
BANANAS
Always buy organic as non-organic bananas are sprayed with a pesticide which may contain animal parts.
According to Science Daily, the pesticide Chitosan, which fights bacteria and prevents bananas from over-ripening, is made from shrimp and crab shells.
So although, like figs, the banana itself is still a fruit, the compound used to extend its life is made from animal matter.
Want to be safe? Go organic.
YOGURT
These, especially the non-fat versions such as Muller Light, contain gelatine to add a creamier, richer texture.
Vegetarians are advised to read the label carefully before buying a new brand.
A spokesperson from Müller told MailOnline:'We offer consumers a range of products, from healthier fat free, low-calorie options to thick and creamy, indulgent desserts.
'All of the nutrition information and ingredients, including gelatine, are displayed on pack so consumers can make the best choice for them.'
Non-organic bananas are sometimes sprayed with a pesticide made from shellfish
GUINNESS
Isinglass or fish bladder is used as part of the filtering process in some beers and stouts.
Because the amount used is so minute, the item itself is not listed as part of the ingredients.
The isinglass filters out leftover yeast particles which otherwise will cause the beer to appear cloudy.
A spokesperson from Guinness told MailOnline: 'Isinglass is a by-product of the fishing industry. We use Isinglass in the production of Guinness as a fining agent to help remove yeast from the beer.
'While the brewing process removes the vast majority or all of the Isinglass, we accept that some minor traces of Isinglass may remain in the finished product.
'We are currently trying to evaluate the reputational impact of Isinglass on our brand and product and whether investment should be made to remove this element from our brewing process.'
WHAT IS DASHI?
Dashi is a cooking stock which forms the base of many Japanese soups including miso soup.
It is a light stock made with kombu (dried edible kelp), water, andbonito flakes (fish flakes).
Packed with umami, the stock can also be made without the bonito flakes, but you may need to add seasoning to your food as a good (non-veggie) dashi has so much umami that you won't need to salt your food.
RED SWEETS
Red sweets or any other foods which are coloured with a natural red dye will more often than not contain animal products.
Carmine, which is made from dead crushed up beetles, comes about when the insects are boiled with sodium carbonate or ammonia, which then produces the attractive, bright red dye.
WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE
A condiment which finds its way into many foods and drinks (Bloody Mary, anyone?) Worcestershire Sauce is made from anchovies.
Like the dashi in miso, the fish in the sauce gives it an umami flavour, which is what gives food a more-ish savoury taste.
ORANGE JUICE
Any orange juice claiming to be 'heart healthy' is the real culprit here. Those claims often mean the juice contains Omega-3 fatty acids which come from fish oils.
If an orange juice declares that it contains Omega-3s, vegetarians should check where they come from.
VEGETARIAN OR VEGAN?
Vegetarians do not eat any animals. This includes pigs, chickens, cows, sea animals, and every other animal.
In addition to not consuming any animal flesh, a vegan also doesn’t eat dairy products, eggs, or any other product derived from an animal.
Vegans also avoid using products that have been tested on animals or made from animal skins.
Source: Peta
BREAKFAST CEREALS
There are a number of sugar-coated cereals on the market which contain beef gelatine, extracted from the skin, bones and connective tissues of animals.
Kellogg's Frosted Wheats, for instance, has beef gelatine in it to make the sugar stick to the cereal.
The protein is made from boiling animal parts in water and appears as a binding agent in many products.
Sacla Classic Basil Pesto contains cheese made with the stomach lining of calves
Anchovies are in the ingredient list of Worcestershire Sauce
READY-MADE PIE AND PASTRY CRUSTS
These are often made with lard, rendered pig fat, rather than butter, which is a dairy product, as the former costs considerably less than the latter, and has a longer shelf-life.
MARSHMALLOWS
Traditionally made with powdered marshmallow root, most commercially manufactured products now used gelatine, in their recipes.
The collagen-rich mixture is what gives the sweet its firm and bouncy texture.
PESTO
Unless there is a clear 'Vegetarian' symbol on the bottle, pesto, while it may seem like the ideal veggie-friendly product, actually isn't.
The basil and pine nut sauce often contains contains Pecorino Romano and Grana Padano, both which, are made with the stomach lining of calves.
Ms Ridgers said: 'Take reasonability for your plate; no one else will and vote with your wallet.
'Pick organic and more natural products without scary ingredients, visit your local health food store and chat with the manager.
'They will appreciate the support and explore a whole new world of food with veggie and vegan-friendly ingredients.'
MailOnline has contacted Kelloggs and Sacla for comment.
Replies
Fish bladder - stomach lining of animals - yuck!
Please note : DONT FORGET TO DOWNLOAD THE VEGETARIAN SCANNER APPLICATION AS YOU WILL FIND IT VERY USEFUL
As a follow up ...the list below is worth checking out
Hidden Animal Ingredients in Foods
There are many hidden animal products in foods. Many animal ingredients are present in very small amounts. Some animal products, such as casein and whey — both derived from dairy products — are acceptable for vegetarians to eat but are not acceptable to vegans. Others, such as rennet (which comes from the stomach lining of calves and other baby animals), is unacceptable to all vegetarians.