Can US and Canadian veggies and vegan YA's tell me if you think that following is true?

Question

I found the following on a forum about orange juice having fish in it (I don't think that they do that in the UK! - even Kelloggs stopped putting fish derived vitamin D in the cereals years ago)

"Sometimes I think there's a meat based conspiracy in our country...let's face it....unless you wear hand made patchwork clothes and sport dreadlocks down to your ***, people are SHOCKED that you are a vegetarian, and then the questions start."

Answer 1

I've never heard of vitamin D from fish, but vitamin D3 is sourced from lanolin, which comes from sheep.

I try to buy juices that are not fortified with anything to avoid that problem.

Answer 2

never heard of that before. interesting. ill look out for that.

Answer 3

The omega3s sound like that's what they could've meant. Although there are becoming more and more GMO foods on the market that are spliced with animal genes. For example, it was Breyers I believe, the makers of Ben & Jerry's among other kinds, who announced they are now using genes from a fish that lives in the north atlantic that resists freezing. They are mixing this gene into ice cream so that when it thaws and refreezes, it won't lose its texture.

As I understand, this is happening with other foods too. There were those tomatoes that were available on the market some time ago, before they were given up on, that were spliced with some other sea creature so that they'd stay fresh longer.

So who knows about the oranges eh?

On a more positive note, there is a bill going through the Canadian parliament right now, Bill C-517, which calls for the mandatory labelling of all Genetically Modified foods. If you're Canadian, please send a quick email to your MP asking them to vote in FAVOUR of Bill C-517! To find out who your MP is and their email address, click on this link:

http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Parlinfo/Compilat...

Answer 4

I'm looking into this right now.  There are a few different sources of Omega-3, one is fish oil and another flax seed.  This started when Tropicana announced they would add Omega-3 to their orange juice.  Most of the websites I've been seeing that say the source is fish oil aren't well sourced (so they give off the appearance of being speculative rather than informed).  But here's a website from the National Resource Council of Canada on a microencapsulated, fish oil-derived Omega-3 source that corroborates this story.  A quote from the website:

"Danone [sic] and Tropicana, two major North American manufacturers, now display the MEG-3® logo on their yogurt and juice."

MEG-3 is the brand of fish oil powder, so if you see that logo on a product and you are trying to be strictly vegetarian/vegan, avoid it or simply try to avoid Danon and Tropicana products to be safe.  I would also try to type in MEG-3 into a search engine to find out what other products this powder might be hiding in.

No conspiracy here, but as consumers with special diets sometimes it can be a challenge similar to how halal and kosher can pose a challenge to those living in societies where the majority eats pork products or mixes meats with cheeses.  It's just unfortunate that society is more willing to give exemption for religious reasons than moral/ethical/personal reasons.

Answer 5

Well, i found there was geletine in one brand of tinned carrots

There is pork in some yogurts

so, why not fish in orange Juice !!

Maybe its the fortified Omega-3 versions ?

Never underestimate the powers of the slaughter by-products salesmen !

You'd have to check with each individual manufactuer to get a specifc answer.

sorry, i've just re-read your question and shouldn't of answered - i'm uk based.