Is E473 Vegan? Sucrose Esters and Supplier Evidence
E473 can be made from plant-derived ingredients. See verified supplier evidence, a real food-list example and how to ask about sucrose ester sources.
Read article →Vegan label-reading guides
Evidence-based answers to everyday label questions: E-numbers, hidden animal ingredients, rennet and finings. Learn what a label can tell you and when you need the manufacturer's help.
New ingredient and label guides
Is Gum Arabic Vegan? E414, Acacia Gum and Food Labels
Gum arabic, also called acacia gum or E414, comes from trees. See manufacturer evidence, a real vegan sweet label and why the whole recipe still matters.
Read article →
Does Kosher Pareve Mean Vegan? Eggs, Fish and Labels
Kosher pareve does not necessarily mean vegan: eggs and fish may qualify. Learn what the label establishes and what to check before buying a product.
Read article →New: compare the products on your shelf
October 14, 2026 · Label reading
Vegan Labels and Logos: Certification and Food Claims
Learn what vegan food labels and certification schemes actually cover. Check the issuing organisation, exact product, vegetarian marks and allergen limits.
Read the guide → October 14, 2026 · AdditivesIs E100 Curcumin Vegan? Turmeric Colour Label Checks
E100 curcumin comes from turmeric, but the colour mixture and finished food need separate checks. Compare current UK gel and sprinkle ingredient examples.
Read the guide → October 14, 2026 · AdditivesIs E476 PGPR Vegan? Chocolate Emulsifier Sources
Decode E476 and PGPR on chocolate labels. Understand current EU source specifications, other-market uncertainty and why milk chocolate needs a separate check.
Read the guide → October 14, 2026 · AdditivesIs Pectin E440 Vegan? Gelatin, Sweets and Jam Labels
Pectin is fruit-derived, but a pectin-containing dessert can still contain gelatin or milk. Compare current UK jelly, conserve and mousse ingredient lists.
Read the guide →New: everyday label questions
October 2026 · Label checks
Vegetarian Ingredient Checker: What to Look For
Use a vegetarian ingredient checker to spot gelatin, animal rennet and fish ingredients. Understand eggs, dairy, regional labels and uncertain results.
Read the guide → October 2026 · Label checksVegan Food Colourings: E120, E160a and Label Checks
Check food colourings by name and E-number. Spot insect-derived carmine, understand colour blends and compare dated UK and Irish manufacturer examples.
Read the guide → October 2026 · Label checksDoes the Green Dot Mean Vegan? Indian Labels Explained
India's green dot means vegetarian, not vegan. Learn the milk and egg distinction, how the FSSAI vegan logo differs, and what changes in July 2027.
Read the guide → October 2026 · Label checksIs E472 Vegan? E472a–f and DATEM Explained
Is E472 vegan? Check the source of E472a–f, learn what DATEM means, and see a dated UK bread example before deciding about your own packet.
Read the guide → October 2026 · Label checksIs Citric Acid (E330) Vegan or Vegetarian?
Citric acid (E330) is generally vegan. Learn how fermentation differs from dairy, compare real ingredient lists, and check the whole product.
Read the guide → October 2026 · Label checksAre E211 and E202 Vegan? Food Preservatives Explained
E211 sodium benzoate and E202 potassium sorbate are generally vegan. See manufacturer evidence, a real food label, and what else to check.
Read the guide → October 2026 · Label checksAre Sulphites Vegan? Wine and Food Labels Explained
Sulphites are generally vegan, but a sulphite warning cannot certify a wine or food. Decode E220–E228 and see what a real dried-fruit label shows.
Read the guide →Latest label and ingredient guides
New · Label reading
May Contain Milk: Vegan Meaning vs Allergy Warnings
Precautionary wording signals possible cross-contact, not a recipe ingredient. Allergy safety remains a separate decision.
Read the guide → New · AdditivesAre E627, E631 and E635 Vegan?
The codes identify three flavour enhancers, but not their raw-material source. Learn what evidence settles the answer.
Read the guide → New · AdditivesIs Xanthan Gum (E415) Vegan? Sources and Label Checks
Official specifications describe bacterial fermentation of carbohydrate. See what that means for an E415 label.
Read the guide → New · IngredientsIs Yeast Vegan? Baker’s, Brewer’s and Nooch
Yes. Compare active, deactivated, fortified and extract forms, plus the finished products that still need checking.
Read the guide →Start here
Start here
How to Check if Food Is Vegan (Complete Guide)
Compare vegan logos, recipe ingredients, allergen warnings and ambiguous additives, then use a scanner to support your label checks.
Read the guide → Start hereHow to Read Food Labels as a Vegan: A Field Guide
Allergen lines, "may contain" warnings, vegan certification logos and the traps in between.
Read the guide → ToolVegan Ingredient Checker: How to Analyze Any Ingredient List
Three ways to check any ingredient list: read it with a cheat sheet, type it in, or photograph it with your camera.
Read the guide →Additives & E-numbers
Popular · Additives
Is E471 (INS 471) Vegan or Vegetarian? Source Checks
E471 may come from plant oils or animal fats. Learn what the label proves, when certification settles it and when the source remains unknown.
Read the guide → PillarNon-Vegan E-Numbers: Animal Sources and Label Checks
Compare animal-derived, source-dependent and generally vegan additives in three scannable tables. This is not an allergy-safety test.
Read the guide → AdditivesIs MSG (E621) Vegan or Vegetarian?
MSG itself is vegan. Learn why E627, E631 and E635 need separate source checks instead of inheriting E621's verdict.
Read the guide → AdditivesIs E120 (Carmine) Vegan? The Red Dye Made from Insects
The red color in candy and yogurt that comes from cochineal insects, and how to spot it.
Read the guide → AdditivesIs E322 (INS 322) Vegan or Vegetarian? Lecithin Guide
Soy and sunflower lecithin differ from egg lecithin. Check the source and whether your vegetarian diet excludes eggs.
Read the guide → AdditivesIs E422 (INS 422) Vegan or Vegetarian? Glycerin Guide
EU food-grade glycerol is plant-derived; elsewhere, learn when the label still leaves the source uncertain.
Read the guide → AdditivesIs Shellac (E904) Vegan? The Ingredient Behind Shiny Candy
A resin secreted by the lac insect, hiding on labels as confectioner's glaze.
Read the guide → AdditivesIs Beeswax (E901) Vegan? Food Glazes Explained
E901 comes from honeybee comb. Learn where the glaze hides, why it can be vegetarian but not vegan, and which plant waxes replace it.
Read the guide → AdditivesIs Lactic Acid Vegan? Why the Name Is Misleading
E270 sounds like dairy and isn't. The one lact- ingredient worth checking instead.
Read the guide →Hidden ingredients & foods
Popular · Vegetarian
Is Rennet Vegetarian? Lamb Rennet & Parmesan Explained
Animal rennet is not vegetarian. Learn which protected cheeses require it, which alternatives are vegetarian and what the label may leave unsaid.
Read the guide → AdditivesIs L-Cysteine (E920) Vegan? Sources Explained
E920 may start with animal keratin or plant-sugar fermentation. The label gives the name, but not the production route.
Read the guide → SupplementsIs Collagen Vegan? Marine, Bovine & Vegan Options
True collagen is animal protein. See how marine, bovine, collagen peptides, builders and recombinant products differ.
Read the guide → FoodsIs Gelatin Vegan or Vegetarian? Sources and Alternatives
Never vegan and never vegetarian. Its aliases, the foods it hides in, and the plant gelling agents that replace it.
Read the guide → SupplementsIs Vitamin D3 Vegan? Check the Source and Capsule
Most D3 comes from sheep wool. Lichen D3 does not. How to tell which one is in your supplement.
Read the guide → Label readingHidden Animal Ingredients in Food: The Complete List
Casein, L-cysteine, shellac, isinglass, carmine: the full reference list of animal ingredients hiding in plain sight.
Read the guide → DrinksIs Wine Vegan? Fining Agents and How to Check
Compare animal and vegan finings, unfined versus unfiltered, and the questions that help verify a particular bottle.
Read the guide → DrinksIs Isinglass Vegan? Fish Finings in Beer and Wine
The fish-collagen processing aid that can clarify a drink without ever appearing on its ingredient label.
Read the guide → FoodsIs Honey Vegan? The Complete Answer
The mainstream vegan position on honey, where it hides in packaged food, and the sweeteners that are always vegan.
Read the guide → FoodsIs Bread Vegan? L-Cysteine, Milk and E471 Explained
Most bread is vegan, but L-cysteine, milk powder and mono-/diglycerides catch people out. A bread-by-bread guide.
Read the guide →Put the label-reading guides to work
Use VeganCheckr to look up a barcode or scan an ingredient label, then compare the result with your packet. An unclear ingredient source may still need manufacturer confirmation. Free to download on the App Store and Google Play. Optional Premium features vary by platform.
Scan with your iPhone camera