If a product doesn't say certified vegan but doesn't include animal products is it still vegan?

Question

basically i am just worried that i may be missing something. i use semisweet chocolate chips in vegan chocolate chip cookies..the package doesn't say there is milk or anything in the chocolate chips but it still feels weird to me...help!

Answer 1

Check with the manufacturer if you're not sure.

Sometimes some pretty sneaky ingredients like "natural flavors" are really animal-based. But in general you should be safe.

Answer 2

Possibly.  Just because it doesn't have the approval of a certifying organization doesn't mean it isn't okay.  If it's chips with, say, just corn and salt, it's vegan, even if it doesn't have the certification.

Answer 3

Chocolate chips are most likely ok if there are no dairy products. Not everything has the vegan logo or states that it's vegan, but many products are vegan.

Answer 4

Veganism is a way of living which excludes all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, the animal kingdom, and includes a reverence for life. It applies to the practice of living on the products of the plant kingdom to the exclusion of flesh, fish, fowl, eggs, honey, animal milk and its derivatives, and encourages the use of alternatives for all commodities derived wholly or in part from animals You may need to use carob instead of chocolate

Answer 5

Well it depends. Usually products named vegan are products that one might think is  not vegan or it might say vegan because it is a product many vegans use as substitutes in their diets . For example a meatless product that is vegan would be named vegan to let vegans know it is suitable for them, some meatless products do not say vegan because they contain milk and/or eggs. But, something like potato chips might not be labelled vegan because they are, well, potato chips, so of course they are vegan friendly (unless they are flavored.) I myself use chocolate chips that I found in the health aisle which are not labelled vegan but, the ingredients are vegan. You just have to trust the ingredients but, you can also call, write, or email and ask the company.

Answer 6

Yuo would have to check with the manufacturer.

Its quite possible that animal products are using during the processing, or included as trace products, but not mentioned in the ingredients list.

Certification is an "opt-in" process. Its run by charity organisations and the product owner has to apply and pay for  thier certification

eg: the veggie society costs £265.

Signing up for the certification not only says your product is veggie, but it also says the veggie market is important to you.

The number of vegans makes it impractical, or not cost effective ,for some manufacturures to sign up to the certification.

EG, Those oils by Granovita are not labelled as veggie or vegan, but i have contact within the company and they guarantee all thier products to be vegan, they just choose not to sign up to the certification programs.

Companies can self-label with "suitable for vegans" so long as they don't use the copyrighted logos. I guess they dont' because either

1) the products are not vegan

2) they want to reserve the right to include animal products

3) the vegan market is not considered by them

To be sure though, you'd have to check with the manufacturer. And with email/websites these days, its very easy to do so. Its not wise to second guess what might be in there if you want to stay a vegan.