'Vegan' on the packaging: how to read the label properly

See "vegetarian" on the front and put it in the basket — the fastest way to shop, and the one that most often falls short for anyone eating fully plant-based.

The front of the pack is marketing; the ingredient list on the back is information. The two don't always match in strictness.

Why the front isn't enough

In Vietnamese, "chay" covers several quite different levels. A product labelled that way might mean:

• No meat or fish — but possibly egg or dairy.
• Nothing animal-derived at all — fully plant-based.
• No five pungent roots — aimed at people following a religious practice.

All three get the same word, and packaging doesn't always distinguish. So a fully plant-based shopper can't stop at the front.

Seven commonly overlooked ingredients

1. Egg white in vegan cold cuts and mock meats

The most common gap. Egg white binds the mixture, giving it firmness and chew. Carefully made products use other methods, but mass-market ones often don't.

2. Gelatin

Made from animal skin and bone. Found in chewy sweets, some jellies, crème caramel, and some capsules. The one people new to plant-based eating forget most.

3. Dairy ingredients in baked goods

Butter, milk powder, whey, casein. Biscuits, sweet breads and chocolate are the three usual places. "Dark chocolate" is usually dairy-free but not always.

4. Honey

In many cakes, cereals and drinks. Vegetarians in Vietnam generally don't count honey among things to avoid; fully plant-based eaters do.

5. Fish or seafood extracts in seasonings

Stock powders, concentrated broths, some sauces. Some state it plainly, others list only "natural flavouring" — a vague phrase worth asking about or avoiding.

6. Colourings and glazing agents

Some red colourings are insect-derived; some glazes on sweets and fruit are animal-derived. Uncommon but real, and usually at the end of the list where they're easy to miss.

7. Vitamin D3 in fortified products

Most D3 is made from lanolin in sheep's wool. Fortified plant milks are worth checking for anyone strictly plant-based.

How to read quickly

1. Turn it over first. Read the ingredient list, not the front.
2. Read from the bottom up. Ingredients are listed in descending proportion, so small animal-derived quantities sit at the end — which is exactly where the gaps are.
3. Watch for vague phrases: "natural flavouring", "emulsifier", "stabiliser" without a stated source.
4. Check the allergen section where there is one — it usually names egg, milk and seafood, and it's the fastest check available.

Shared production lines

Many labels say "made on equipment that also handles milk and egg". That's a warning for people with allergies, not a statement about ingredients.

Plant-based eaters decide for themselves whether to accept it — some do, since the product contains no animal ingredients; some don't. A personal choice with no single right answer.

Eating out

Restaurants have no labels, so asking is the only option. Three questions cover nearly everything:

• Are the pickles made with fish sauce?
• Does the sauce contain egg?
• Is the frying oil shared with non-vegetarian items?

Asking those three is far clearer than saying "I'll have something vegetarian". On the phone you can ask and hear the answer; an app notes box only goes one way.

Quick answers

What does "vegetarian" on packaging mean?

It can mean three different levels: no meat or fish but possibly egg and dairy, nothing animal-derived, or free of the five pungent roots. Packaging doesn't always distinguish, so the ingredient list has to be read.

Which animal ingredient is most often missed?

Egg white in vegan cold cuts and mock meats, used as a binder. After that: gelatin in chewy sweets and jellies, dairy in baked goods, and honey.

Why read the list from the bottom up?

Because ingredients are listed in descending proportion, so small animal-derived quantities sit at the end — and that's where the gaps are.

Is "natural flavouring" plant-based?

You can't tell from the phrase, since it doesn't state a source — it may be plant-derived or fish-derived. Worth asking about, or avoiding.

What about "made on shared equipment"?

That's an allergen warning, not a statement about ingredients. Plant-based eaters decide for themselves; there's no single right answer.

What do I ask when eating out?

Three things: whether the pickles use fish sauce, whether the sauce contains egg, and whether the frying oil is shared with non-vegetarian items.