Vegans only: do you eat products that "may contain" traces of non-vegan products?

Question

On a lot of food packages it says that the food may contain egg or dairy, sometimes even fish - do you still eat these foods?

Personally I don't, but I'd like to hear other vegans' opinions.

Answer 1

I wouldn't feel comfortable if a package said fish, egg, or dairy. I can live with peanut. When I cook I don't need to make such disclaimers so therefor I wouldn't support them in doing so. These companies are simply trying to cover all their consumer bases but they don't want to spend the money to produce their vegan products in a different facility. With that disclaimer you don't really know what you are getting. It is an "enter at your own risk" deal. Well thanks but no thanks.

Answer 2

Most vegans i know (one excluded) eat products that may contain trace amounts of (____), though, I won't eat anything that could contain any meat. If it's made on the same machinery that processes eggs or milk it's fine. The equiptment is used they are thoroughly cleaned, but it's still stated for liability purposes. It's only really a warning for people with extreme alergies.

Answer 3

I have never seen the fish thing, but I don't really have a problem eating something that "may contain traces of dairy". It generally means that it was made in the same facility and/or/ on the same equipment as dairy products, just for allergies' sake. Usually, I try not to eat a lot of processed foods, so it doesn't matter.

Answer 4

It is possible I will eat something if it is processed in the same facility as dairy or egg products, and therefore may contain the extreme slightest amount. I try to avoid it but sometimes it is not possible in a pinch. Nothing that contains the traces of fish though.

Answer 5

well may contain absolutely does not mean that it does contain animal products. if it did it would be required to be put in normally with the rest of the ingredients. if it "may contain" meat definately i wouldnt...i dont even know where i would see that..but anyway when it says may contain milk, that just means that it may be put in the same equipment that a milk product was made in, but they must wash them in between. even if you look at Rocky Mountain dark chocolate, it lists milk actually in the ingredients, but they only put it there because they use the same molds for dark and milk chocolate products, but they always wash the mold in between. so if you were to do a chemical analysis on the dark chocolate you would not find milk proteins in it. the may contian labels are always a disclaimer for people with allergies so the company cant get sued if someone gets sick or dies.

Answer 6

They just write this for people with allergies... it means they have those products in the same factory so there is a miniscule chance of cross contamination. The way I see it is, my family are meat-eaters and have meat in the kitchen. Same applies when I go to a restaurant. I therefore think it's ok to eat these products... as long as animal products aren't listed in the ingredients.

Answer 7

If it says contains milk or egg, then no. If it says produced in a factory handling these products than yes. If we wanted to be 100% safe then I suppose we'd never go to a restaurant, or eat anything we hadn't made ourself from scratch, as we don't know who has been touching what.

Answer 8

I try and avoid processed foods (this cuts out the problem largely, but I guess it doesn't really bother me, but out of interest, what are you eating that may contain traces of fish!!!

Answer 9

If it says "may contain traces of" or "manufactured on same equipment as", yes. Those are just disclaimers for those who have allergies. If it says "contains 2% or less of", no.

Answer 10

Ah, the shared machinery issue. I don't mind shared machinery or shared facilities. As long as it's not mentioned in the ingredients, I can handle it.