Animal byproducts?

Question

When I call a company and ask them if their products contain any animal byproducts, and they say no (and they also say they don't test on animals), the product should be okay to use right?
Does that mean it doesn't contain animal PRODUCTS right? Do products and the byproducts mean the same?

Answer 1

Unfortunately just asking them that question leaves all kinds of loopholes they can wiggle through! A classic example was the supposedly vegan marshmallows that were made with "Non-animal gelatin" made from animal bones. The loophole was that under Kashrut (Jewish dietary law) the gelatin had been so heavily processed and purified that they got a Rabbi to declare the gelatin "non-animal".

Here's the question you want to ask, do it in writing so that the answer they give is legally binding:

"Does your product contain any animal ingredients, or any ingredients processed with animal products, or any ingredients that originally derived from an animal source and/or are any products originally from an animal source used in the manufacture of your product?"

One example would be asking a sugar company your question and they can answer that there are no animal or animal byproducts in their sugar, even though they use bone char (dried and then burned animal bones!) to make their sugar.

I can ask my question to a sugar company that says they don't use bone char and IF they answer it I'll get told that while they don't use bone char (a VERY specific type of carbon) they do use carbon from other animal sources!

If a company can find a way to weasel their way around a question they will!

Answer 2

you have to read the ingredients and check for yourself if it's vegan friendly. most people do not know that byproducts are not just made from dairy and milk, etc. companies do not make it obvious like that.
for example: most people don't know that white and cane sugar are not vegan.

I wouldn't trust the company and just take their word for it. it could be an employee that doesn't give a damn about animals or he/she feels like lying or perhaps could careless what you can and can't eat. I mean they might be lying or just don't really know if all ingredients are vegan friendly, you know. so that's why I always double check and do my research.

http://veganpeace.com/ingredients/ingredients.htm
http://www.vegansociety.com/html/food/criteria.php
http://www.veganwolf.com/animal_ingredients.htm

Answer 3

I asked this question of a cosmetics company, and was very explicit in that I don't use insect ingredients (like carmine, beeswax, honey, propolis, etc.). They said that they didn't consider insects animals (oookay) and that by those standards, their products were vegan. However, they did give me a small list of ingredients that didn't have carmine in it.

So when you ask the question, you have to be very explicit about what you do and do not use.

Answer 4

if they say it doesn't, trust them. i've called cheese companies and asked if they use rennet (from cow and goat stomachs) and they honestly answer yes or no

Answer 5

Yes, believe what they tell you. They will tell you the truth.