h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

It's annoying when you find out you've been eating something you can't/shouldn't, because product manufacturers are too lazy (or sneaky) to list all of the ingredients properly.

I normally avoid all baked goods I haven't made myself, to avoid tree nut allergens *and* potential cross-contamination. Occasionally I'll indulge in prepackaged graham crackers or a frozen pie crust, provided I've sufficiently researched the manufacturer's line cleaning processes.

The bigger problem is with compassionate, conscientious eating. I'm not entirely vegan- I can live (for now) with organic free-range eggs and milk, since I've found brands from small, ethical farming co-ops. I've eliminated all cheese and whey products that aren't *clearly* labeled as being entirely free of animal rennet. I'm well aware that most ready-made rice dishes, soups and vegetable stews are made with animal-based stock (which reminds me of an idiot catering manager who showed up at my office with a vegetarain entree- couscous- for me, stated that it contained chicken stock, but continued to insist that it was vegetarian-friendly ). I know not to purchase bath/body products containing collagen, elastin, keratin, or red colorings. I'm not a big drinker anyway, but I stick to vegan wines and beers, or stick to frou-frou drinks, when I do indulge.

But what amazes me is the amount of animal products used in various items that the manufacturers literally *hide* in their foods, making it difficult for conscientious consumers to determine whether or not their products can be used or should be avoided. Products like Jell-O, W sauce and marshmallow (which is gross anyway) are a no-brainer. But why contaminate sugar, wine, sweet & sour sauce, and even vegetable juice? And what's wrong with using beet for red coloring, instead of carmine? Why *add* animal byproducts to otherwise perfectly decent foodstuffs?

I'm *this* close to eliminating *all* products manufactured by companies that use animal ingredients in their other products, just to be safe. I probably should do it as a matter of principle anyway- I hate to give my hard-earned money to companies with unethical practices, but I'm sure that if I avoided them all, I wouldn't have anything.

So anyway... if anyone is privy to any information regarding products with less-than-intuitive labeling that you know for a fact are either safe for consumption, or should be avoided at all costs, please do share that info with me.

(It turns out, after some investigation, that HP Sauces are suitable for vegetarians. Phew! It's nice to have another condiment available besides tomato ketchup and Maxchup )

PS- I totally understand that for some people, being omniverous is a matter of aesthetics and not one of ethics. I disagree, but I don't judge. I in no way mean this as a knock against anyone's habits. This is merely a request for information- I'm trying to avoid inadvertenly consuming something out of ignorance if someone else could steer me away, or toward anything that would leave my conscience clear.

Hi hun. I think the Amy's brand of foodstuffs is completely vegetarian, if that helps any.

To be honest, I've heard about American wines being produced using animal stuff, but as far as I know, European wines don't.
Have never heard of sugar or vegetable juice containing animal ingredients.

I work in a heakth-food shop, except for the dairies (milk, butter, joghurt, cheese) and eggs we sell, all products are at least vegetarian, many are vegan.

Hey you, PCandy, don't sign off yet --- bop on over to our thread.

Hiya JEllen! I've seen Amy's, they make pre-made frozen entrees, right? I think I've bought one or two in the past, in a lunch-related pinch.

What gets tricky are not so much the prepared foods, which I don't use often (unless you count Quorn or Gardenburgers)... but things like condiments and baking supplies, etc.

Bel, there's a brand of tomato juice here called V-8 that contains beef bouillion. That brand isn't stocked where I shop, but I was surprised to hear it, because if it were offered to me, I may have consumed it, before finding learning today about the beef juice.

I can deal with vegetaran eggs (fed vegetarian feed) as long as they're from free-range chickens. And I haven't gone off all cheeses yet. Milk and cream come from a local Mennonite dairy via Whole Foods. And I'm not averse to honey, either- at least not based on my current knowledge.

Though I really do want to give up animal rennet completely. I was pleased to discover that rennet is OK in that respect, as is paneer. And a Wisconsin place supplies our Whole Foods with rennet-free cheddar and jack cheeses. I'm still working out which ones I can have and which I shouldn't. I've had to go off the Gruyere till I find a veggie-friendly one.

Meanwhile... I wouldn't mind working in a health food shop. I imagine it'd be as dangerous for me as working at a bookshop, though... I'd spend my whole paycheck before quitting time.

PC - one thing that might help is looking for things that are labelled Pareve - then they'll contain neither milk nor meat, at least

Oh, Bel- regarding sugar, refined sugars are filtered using ash from the bones of animals. Raw and turbinado sugars are not. I use turbinado.

Hi, Mala! Knew I could count on you.

The kosher label usually means a person is off to a good start. With the exception of gelatin, of course. In fact, I used to use a kosher soup base powder because it was chicken flavored without any actual chicken.

Some cream of celery soup has chicken broth!

Kosher isn't the same as Pareve - just "Kosher" can still contain meat But yes, gelatin has been declared kosher by now

I must admit I don't read labels that closely, though - I'm too lazy to be in it just for the ethical side of things

I can ask my cousin for some tips for you when I e-mail him next, he's a strict vegan.

No shortage of Pareve goods around these parts- especially just a couple miles north on Devon Avenue. Or at Whole Foods these days.

I appreciate your asking your cousin, too. Awfully sweet of you.

Sure - though "chicken flavored without any actual chicken" is a sentence I have problems with. I get annoyed at the need for everything to taste of something else I'd rather have something containing meat than something containing a hundred artificial flavours.

Well, yeah. I'm not so big on all kinds of artificial stuff or preservativces, either. And MSG gives me ripping migraines, so soup bases can be a problem to begin with.

Where do they get the chicken-y flavor for Quorn? I know that the vegan burgers we get use Liquid Smoke, which lends a meaty taste. I just make my own veggie stock from cuttings these days, and freeze in cubes to use as needed, and totally gave up powdered stock. But if I'm going to cook for K, I have to indulge in meaty-tasting-but-not-meat things sometimes, even if it's just marinated tempeh or something.

He's quite fond of my barbecued tofu, too, but one still has to use care when selecting a barbecue sauce. See what I mean?

When I find out that something I've eaten contains animal stuff, it makes me physically ill.

There are things going on behind the scenes with food that I’d rather not know about. I’m also trying not to think about the fact that this morning the city was spraying for cankorworms. I got misted and almost when back inside to take a shower but it is supposed to be harmless. Sure and that’s what ‘they’ said about DDT.

I understand what you mean, yes I'm only saying that all those chemical additives can't be any healthier or better for the environement than meat

Quorn, I suppose, gets the "meaty" taste from mushrooms. "Meaty" is "umami" - the fifth flavour along with sweet, sour, salty, and bitter - and both meat and mushrooms taste of it.

I just took a look at my powdered veggie stock - it contains no MSG, and it's just Aldi own brand

Mala, I think that's because it used to be based on beef, and since the mad cow disease they've been forced to change it. Seems it's easier to do some things completely without any meat than to substitute beef with pork.

*sigh*

I was literally sick for two days after eating out at a local pizza place; i am scrupulous about reading labels (yeah, i manage it, even in French, i've had a lifetime's experience in many languages doing this!winkeye&gt but eating out/prepared food is very difficult. I treat mostly everything i haven't prepared myself, in my own veggie pans with Deep Suspicion.

The Vegan Society in UK will probably be of some help, but i don't know if they have a USAnian version.

http://www.vegansociety.com/html/

We are all different; i can cope fine with cheese, yogurt & the occasional egg, cow milk if it's boiled within a sauce etc. But no way can i handle any raw milk, butter etc. I also find if i have soya more than once a week i get more asthma stuff. I'm fine with beans & fine with lentils etc (nope: i fart less than most people actually!)...the major source of protein for a large proportion of the planet.

Morally, i should avoid French cheese, since it's mainly made using animal rennet, but i can't afford the Health Food alternative, which isn't in fact French, so has used loads of carbon miles to get here & since a large part of this country's economy is based on local agriculture, which is mainly traditionally free range, small farms; i just tuck into the Brie etc!

zdt

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Garrgh; that's another thing, what about people who are Muslim, Jewish, Hindu?

"One man's meat is another man's poisson"!!!

zdt

I feel your pain, Pc - I have trouble with hidden fish or seafood-type things being smuggled in where I least expect it.

I have no useful comments to make at this point, but I'll think about the matter for a while.

I appear to be truly allergic to most meat at the moment, anyway - my assumes it's because of the antibiotics fed to the animals!

Aldi sells beef stock, too, so the broth is simply additive-free. Actually, a surprising amount of their things are vegan, according to my cousin.

With Jewish/Muslim religious diets, the problem is also that not just *any* animals can be used - they have to be slaughtered a certain way, too. Mutually exclusive methods.