Margarine, bread, coffee: There are animal ingredients in seven products

Vegans eat only plant-based foods. Animal products are not only avoided in food, but often also in clothing, shoes or furniture.

But that also means that most products have to be examined carefully. Food that apparently has nothing to do with animal products makes it particularly difficult.

1. Margarine

Even if the substitute for butter is to be obtained from vegetable fats, not all spreadable fats are also vegan, reports the Bayrischer Rundfunk.

If, for example, the additives E 471 or vitamin D appear in the ingredients, then these fats are of animal origin. Likewise, whey or fish oil are a sign that the margarine is not vegan.

2. Bier

Are hops and malt lost in beer now? It depends, explains the Swiss Vegan Society. A so-called fish bladder can be used in beer production. This should catch yeast components and ensure a clear liquid. The manufacturing process is then responsible for the beer not being vegan.

However, the Purity Law in Germany stipulates that German beer (especially pure beer, the situation is different with mixed drinks) must be vegan – and most breweries also comply with this.

3. Fruit Juices

Not only alcoholic drinks, but also fruit juices are not always vegan. Similar to beer production, juices also have to be filtered so that they become clear. The consumer center states that animal gelatine is often used in addition to fish bladders.

If you are not sure when shopping, you should opt for naturally cloudy juices, because they are usually vegan.

4. Coffee

When it comes to coffee, the consumer advice center also reveals that although the liquid should not become cloudy, it can happen that the beans have been coated with beeswax or other types of animal wax. This is to avoid blunt surfaces on the coffee beans in order to achieve better flowability of the drink in the end.

According to experts, this manufacturing process is rather unlikely in Germany. However, producers are not obliged to label the wax on the packaging. You can only be sure of coffee with a vegan seal.

5. Chips

Although many types of chips are vegan, the manufacturer of the popular Pringles, for example, has changed the recipe of its chips. Now whey powder is processed in most varieties, which is anything but vegan.

6. Violation

When it comes to bread, too, the devil is in the details. If you only look at the pure ingredients, bread is almost always vegan. However, pig bristles, among other things, are permitted during production. This can be used to process flour, for example. The problem: Here, too, the manufacturing process does not have to be declared.

7. Nail polish

Not only food, but also beauty utensils often contain hidden traces of animal products. To get a shiny nail polish, fish scales can be used, for example. Various dyes for the paint are also made from lice, for example. So here – also with natural cosmetics – take a close look.