By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

A Vegetarian Resource Group member contacted us with a question about when to take an iron supplement. Here’s what they said: “My health care provider recommended that I take a low-dose iron supplement once a day. I’m vegan and eat small meals and snacks throughout the day. When is a good time for me to take the iron supplement?”

And here’s our response:

Iron is best absorbed on an empty stomach, either about 1 hour before or 2 hours after meals so one idea would be to take your supplement right when you wake up and wait an hour or so to eat breakfast. If this isn’t feasible, you could take your supplement 2 hours after your last meal or snack of the day. Maybe taking it when you brush your teeth before going to bed, assuming you don’t have a snack right before bed, would work.

Although it’s ideal to take iron supplements on an empty stomach, some people get an upset stomach, nausea, or diarrhea if they don’t eat something along with their iron supplement. If that’s the case for you, try taking the supplement with a small meal or snack or immediately after a small meal or snack. You’ll absorb somewhat less iron but it’s likely that you’ll be getting more iron than if you didn’t take the supplement at all.

If you choose this option of taking your iron supplement with a small meal or snack, go for a meal or snack where you’re not drinking tea, herb tea, coffee, or calcium-fortified plant milk. All of these beverages can reduce iron absorption. Also, avoid foods high in phytate such as whole grains, dried beans, nuts, and seeds which can interfere with iron absorption. You might choose a snack of fruit, vegetables, and/or refined grains with your iron supplement.

If you use a calcium supplement, ideally you would take this at a different time than when you take an iron supplement.

Iron supplements may interfere with the absorption of some medications including levodopa, levothyroxine, penicillamine, tetracyclines, and bisphosphonates. Check with your health care provider about medications you are using and if they will be affected by supplemental iron.

To read more about iron sources for vegans see:

Iron in the Vegan Diet

Latin American Vegan Foods High in Iron

The contents of this website and our other publications, including Vegetarian Journal and Vegan Journal, are not intended to provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health professional. We often depend on product and ingredient information from company statements. It is impossible to be 100% sure about a statement, info can change, people have different views, and mistakes can be made. Please use your best judgment about whether a product is suitable for you. To be sure, do further research or confirmation on your own.

By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

Prenatal multi-vitamin/multi-mineral supplements are often recommended in pregnancy to help make sure that the higher nutritional needs of pregnancy are being met. In the United States, more than 70% of pregnant and lactating individuals use at least one dietary supplement, most often a supplement labeled as being a prenatal supplement (1). There are a number of vegan prenatal vitamin/mineral supplements. If you’re deciding between products or thinking about whether to use a supplement, here are some things to think about.

One consideration is the adequacy of your diet. If you generally eat a healthy vegan diet with a variety of dried beans, whole grains, nuts and seeds, vegetables, and fruits you’re likely to be getting enough of many vitamins and minerals. If you’re concerned about the adequacy of your diet, it can be helpful to meet with a registered dietitian who specialized in prenatal nutrition and who is familiar with vegan diets.

There are a couple of nutrients where supplements are recommended for all pregnant individuals because of the important roles of these nutrients in pregnancy. Expert groups, including the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force and the American Thyroid Association, respectively, recommend that a 400-800 microgram folic acid supplement and a 150 microgram iodine supplement be used in pregnancy (2,3). A prenatal supplement that supplies these and other nutrients reduces the number of pills that you have to swallow. Don’t assume that all prenatal supplements supply folic acid and iodine; it’s important to check the label. A survey of the top-selling prenatal vitamin/mineral supplements sold in the United States found that only 58% contained iodine (4).

Vegans also need a reliable, daily source of vitamin B12 during pregnancy; this reliable source can be fortified foods, a stand-alone vitamin B12 supplement, or a prenatal vitamin/mineral supplement that provides vitamin B12. Vegan Health, a website that provides evidence-based nutrition recommendations, suggests use of a once-daily supplement in pregnancy that supplies 10-250 micrograms of vitamin B12 (5).

Other nutrients that can be challenging for vegans in pregnancy include iron, zinc, calcium, vitamin D, and choline.

Here’s the amount of each needed in pregnancy:

Thinking about your diet can help you to determine if it’s important that your prenatal supplement supplies one or more of these nutrients. Iron is especially challenging because so much is needed to support pregnancy. You don’t need to get 100% of the RDA for these nutrients from a supplement; your diet should provide at least part of your needs. Depending on your diet, there may be other nutrients that you need to supplement. For example, if you don’t eat many fruits or vegetables, I’d be concerned about vitamin C and vitamin A.

If you think your diet is low in one or more of these nutrients, look for a vegan prenatal supplement that supplies the nutrients of concern. Many prenatal multi-vitamin/multi-minerals supplements don’t supply much calcium so, if you aren’t using a calcium-fortified plant milk or eating plenty of green leafy vegetables, a separate calcium supplement may be needed.

DHA supplements or food sources of DHA appear to reduce the risk of having a premature or low birth weight infant (6). Sources of DHA for vegans are limited and a vegan supplement supplying at least 200 milligrams per day of DHA may be beneficial. DHA is rarely included in vegan prenatal supplements so a separate supplement may be needed.

References

1. Jun S, Gahche JJ, Potischman N, et al. Dietary supplement use and its micronutrient contribution during pregnancy and lactation in the United States. Obstet Gynecol. 2020;135(3):623–633.
2. US Preventive Services Task Force, Bibbins-Domingo K, Grossman DC, et al. Folic acid supplementation for the prevention of neural tube defects: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement. JAMA. 2017;317(2):183–189.
3. Alexander EK, Pearce EN, Brent GA, et al. 2017 Guidelines of the American Thyroid Association for the diagnosis and management of thyroid disease during pregnancy and the postpartum. Thyroid. 2017;27(3):315–389.
4. Patel A, Lee SY, Stagnaro-Green A, et al. Iodine content of the best-selling United States adult and prenatal multivitamin preparations. Thyroid. 2019;29(1):124–127.
5. Vegan Health. Daily needs. Vitamin B12. https://veganhealth.org/daily-needs/#Vitamin-B12.
6. Middleton P, Gomersall JC, Gould JF, et al. Omega-3 fatty acid addition during pregnancy. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2018;11(11):CD003402.

To read more about vegan pregnancy see:

Vegan nutrition in pregnancy and childhood

Pregnancy and the vegan diet

To read more about dietary supplements see:

Do vegetarians have to take vitamin B12 supplements?

Calcium supplement

NIH’s Office of Dietary Supplements Offers a Helpful Dietary Supplement Label Database

The contents of this posting, our website, and our other publications, including Vegetarian Journal and Vegan Journal, are not intended to provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health professional. We often depend on product and ingredient information from company statements. It is impossible to be 100% sure about a statement, info can change, people have different views, and mistakes can be made. Please use your best judgment about whether a product is suitable for you. To be sure, do further research or confirmation on your own.

By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

Suppose that you visit your obstetrician and learn that you need to begin taking a prenatal vitamin/mineral supplement. You’d like to find a vegan prenatal and want to make sure it has the nutrients that you need. You could spend hours finding products online or in stores or you could make a quick stop at the Office of Dietary Supplement’s Supplement Label Database. This database includes current and historical label information from more than 150,000 products marketed in the United States. It allows you to search by key word, so you can look for products that have “vegan” on the label. Filters allow you to limit your search to products currently on the market and to specify the type of supplement you are looking for (e.g. multivitamin, fiber, fatty acid, vitamin, mineral). You can limit your search to products targeted at infants, toddlers, or pregnancy and you can specify the form of the supplement (bar, powder, gummies, tablet, etc.).

When I searched for a vegan prenatal multivitamin/mineral supplement that is currently on the market, I found nine products. I was able to view the label information for each of these products and could see what the ingredients were. The database provided a link to the manufacturer’s website for each product. It helped me to have the information I would need to decide which product best met my needs.

The Dietary Supplement Label Database could also be useful if you are looking for a vegan multivitamin/mineral supplement for a toddler, or for a vegan source of omega-3 fatty acids, or any time you have a question about a dietary supplement.

To read more about supplements see:

Do I need to take a daily multi-vitamin and mineral?

Should I take a daily multi-vitamin supplement?

Supplements for vegan children

Do vegetarians have to take vitamin B12 supplements?

Calcium supplement

Each issue of Vegetarian Journal includes a column called Scientific Update by Reed Mangels, PhD, where she reviews recent scientific papers related to the veggie life-style. The latest column looks at these topics:

-Lower Risk of Hip Fractures in Vegan Women Using Calcium and Vitamin D Supplements

-Nutritional Content of Plant Milk Varies

Read the reviews here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2021issue4/2021_issue4_scientific_update.php

Subscribe to Vegetarian Journal in the USA only by visiting https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

I recently got a question from a Vegetarian Resource Group member asking for supplement recommendations for a vegan 11-year old boy who doesn’t always eat as well as his parents would like but who generally has a pretty healthy diet. Here’s what I suggested:

The nutrients I think are most important for growing boys and that are potentially challenging in a vegan diet are vitamin B12, vitamin D, zinc, and calcium.

Here’s the amount of each that they need:

These amounts are the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for each nutrient. As parents, you’re likely to be the best people to assess what your child is eating and to see if there are other possibly problematic nutrients. For example, if your child doesn’t eat many fruits or vegetables, I’d be concerned about vitamin C and vitamin A. If they eat mostly carbs and not many beans or soy products, they may need supplemental iron.

     If they are using fortified foods consistently, they may be getting calcium and vitamin D and possibly vitamin B12. I’ve included zinc on the list of important nutrients because it may not be as well absorbed from plant foods and is needed for growth and development. You can see more about these nutrients on VRG’s website.

     If you think your child’s diet is low in one or more of these nutrients, look for a vegan children’s supplement that supplies the nutrients of concern. If the supplement has more vitamin B12 than the RDA, that is not likely to be a problem. Supplements made for adults may have more of some other nutrients than is recommended for children so stick with children’s vitamins. Many multi-vitamin/multi-minerals supplements don’t supply much calcium so, if your child isn’t using a calcium-fortified plant milk or plenty of green leafy vegetables, they may need a calcium supplement. See which supplements supply the nutrients you’re most concerned about, in amounts close to what is recommended for children (or somewhat lower if their diet already has some good sources of these nutrients).

     If in doubt about the adequacy of your child’s diet or for specific supplement questions, consult a registered dietitian with expertise in vegan nutrition.

The latest issue of Vegetarian Journal features a column called Scientific Update, where we look at recent scientific studies related to veggie diets. One large study called into question the benefits of fish oil supplements. Close to 26,000 older adults were studied. They took either 840 milligrams per day of omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil (460 milligrams of EPA and 380 milligrams of DHA) or a placebo that did not supply omega-3s. They didn’t know which type of capsule they were taking. Study subjects took the capsules and their health was monitored over an average of five years. There was no significant difference between the groups in their risk of having a stroke, heart attack, breast cancer, prostate cancer, or colorectal cancer, or of dying from heart disease. This study suggests that omega-3 supplements had little or no effect on risk of cardiovascular events or cancer. The researchers noted, however, that taking omega-3s was associated with some reduction in risk of strokes and heart attacks in those who ate little or no fish. This merits further study and suggests that older adults who don’t eat fish might benefit from an omega-3 supplement. Of course, there’s no need to take fish oil — microalgae supplements supply omega-3s in a vegan-friendly form.

You can read about the entire column here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2019issue2/2019_issue2_scientific_update.php

Subscribe to Vegetarian Journal in the USA only by visiting https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

You can also subscribe to the Kindle version of Vegetarian Journal in the USA and United Kingdom.

In the USA, visit: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07LBY2Y7K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1544727482&sr=8-1&keywords=B07LBY2Y7K

In the United Kingdom, visit: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07LBY2Y7K/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1544731957&sr=8-1&keywords=B07LBY2Y7K

Reed Mangels, PhD, RD, answers this question in her recent Nutrition Hotline column that runs in each issue of Vegetarian Journal.

To see the entire article go to:
http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2015issue4/2015_issue4_nutrition_hotline.php

To subscribe to Vegetarian Journal visit:
http://www.vrg.org/bookstore/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=3

By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

Vegetarians, just like nonvegetarians, need to have reliable sources of vitamin B12. Reliable sources can include foods fortified with vitamin B12, foods that contain vitamin B12, and vitamin B12 supplements. Fortified foods – foods that have vitamin B12 added to them – include some brands of plant milks, some veggie meats, some breakfast cereals, some energy bars, some tofu, some nutritional yeast, and various other foods. Vegans can obtain their required B12 from just fortified foods, just supplements, or a combination of fortified foods and supplements.

Some vegetarians (not vegans) will choose to get vitamin B12 from animal sources, namely dairy products and eggs. Most multi-vitamins contain vitamin B12 and it is available as a stand-alone supplement also. To find out if a food is fortified with vitamin B12, check the nutrition label – added vitamin B12 will be indicated. If vegetarians’ vitamin B12 intake from food sources is adequate, supplements are not needed.

The table below shows the amount of vitamin B12 in some foods.

Table 1: Vitamin B12 Content of Foods^1,2

Clearly, a person drinking 2 cups of fortified soymilk (2 x 1.2 =2.4 mcg) or choosing other fortified foods could achieve the levels of vitamin B12 recommended by the Dietary Reference Intakes (2.4 mcg/day is the RDA for an adult). The low amounts of vitamin B12 added to fortified foods helps with absorption; 60% of low dose (less than 5 micrograms) of vitamin B12 is absorbed.³

Lacto or lacto-ovo vegetarians may opt to use foods fortified with vitamin B12. They can also obtain sufficient vitamin B12 solely from dairy products (and eggs for lacto-ovo vegetarians). We need to consider 2 issues, namely, the vitamin B12 content of these foods and the absorption of vitamin B12 from these foods. The RDA for vitamin B12 is based on a 50% absorption.³ One study suggests that 65% of the vitamin B12 in cow’s milk is absorbed⁴ while absorption from eggs ranges from 24-36%.³

If we assume that vitamin B12 absorption from cow’s milk and other dairy products is similar to the average absorption of vitamin B12 from foods that is the basis for the RDA and that absorption from eggs is about half this, we can calculate whether or not dairy products and eggs can be successfully used to meet the RDA for vitamin B12.

Someone drinking 3 cups of cow’s milk (1.22 mcg of vitamin B12/cup) daily would meet the RDA for vitamin B12 (2.4 mcg/day for an adult). (3 x 1.22 mcg = 3.66 mcg). Two cups of cow’s milk would also suffice to meet the RDA.

1.5 cups of milk + 2 ounces of cheese (1.83 mcg + 0.5 mcg) would approximate the RDA. A combination of cow’s milk (and possibly eggs) and fortified foods selected, could also meet the RDA without the use of dietary supplements in the form of vitamin pills.

Of course, there is the consideration that adults aged 51 and older should obtain most of their vitamin B12 from foods fortified with vitamin B12 or a vitamin B12-containing supplement.³ This is a separate issue since it applies to all adults, not just vegetarians.

While several recent reviews^5-7 have found a high prevalence of vitamin B12 deficiency in vegetarians, little information is available about dietary or supplement practices of these vegetarians. In areas of the world where vitamin A deficiency is common, we don’t emphatically state that vitamin A supplements are required; instead, we emphasize getting vitamin A from food sources. The same seems to be indicated for vitamin B12.

Some vegetarians (vegans, lacto or lacto-ovo vegetarians) may find that supplements are more convenient; others may prefer to use fortified foods. Vegetarians who use dairy products and/or eggs may prefer these sources. What’s important is to ensure that food or fortified food sources are reliable, are adequate, and are used on a daily basis.

If supplements are used, be aware that the amount absorbed is reduced, the higher the dose of the supplement. About 5% of the vitamin B12 in a supplement containing 25 mcg of vitamin B12 is absorbed.^8-10 A lesser amount, 1% or less of the vitamin B12 in a supplement containing more than 100 micrograms of vitamin B12, is absorbed.^3,9 Vegan registered dietitians Jack Norris, RD and Virginia Messina, MPH, RD recommend that if vitamin B12 supplements are used, you should take either a 25-100 microgram supplement once a day or a 1000 microgram supplement three times a week.¹¹

For more information about vitamin B12, refer to Jack Norris, RD’s excellent webpage – Vitamin B12 – Are You Getting It?

References
1. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. 2014. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 27. Nutrient Data Laboratory Home Page, http://www.ars.usda.gov/ba/bhnrc/nd

2. Mangels R, Messina V, Messina M. The Dietitian’s Guide to Vegetarian Diets, 3rd edition. Jones and Bartlett Publishers, 2010.

3. Institute of Medicine, Food and Nutrition Board: Dietary Reference Intakes for Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B-6, Folate, Vitamin B-12, Pantothenic Acid, Biotin, and Choline. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 1998.

4. Russell RM, Baik H, Kehayias JJ. Older men and women efficiently absorb vitamin B-12 from milk and fortified bread. J Nutr. 2001 Feb;131(2):291-3.

5. Pawlak R, Parrott SJ, Raj S, Cullum-Dugan D, Lucus D. How prevalent is vitamin B12 deficiency among vegetarians? Nutr Rev.2013 Feb;71(2):110-7.

6. Obersby D, Chappell DC, Dunnett A, Tsiami AA. Plasma total homocysteine status of vegetarians compared with omnivores: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Br J Nutr. 2013;109(5):785-94.

7. Pawlak R, Lester SE, Babatunde T. The prevalence of cobalamin deficiency among vegetarians assessed by serum vitamin B12: a review of literature. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2014 May;68(5):541-8.

8. Heyssel RM, Bozian RC, Darby WJ, Bell MC. Vitamin B12 turnover in man: the assimilation of vitamin B12 from natural foodstuff by man and estimates of minimal daily dietary requirements. Am J Clin Nutr. 1966;18:176–84.

9. Berlin H, Berlin R, Brante G. Oral treatment of pernicious anemia with high doses of vitamin B12 without intrinsic factor. Acta Med Scand. 1968;184:247–58.

10. Adams JF, Ross SK, Mervyn L, Boddy K, King P. Absorption of cyanocobalamin, coenzyme B 12, methylcobalamin, and hydroxocobalamin at different dose levels. Scand J Gastroenterol. 1971;6:249–52.

11. Norris J, Messina V. Vegan for Life. DaCapo Press, 2011.

The contents of this posting, our website and our other publications, including Vegetarian Journal, are not intended to provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health professional. We often depend on product and ingredient information from company statements. It is impossible to be 100% sure about a statement, info can change, people have different views, and mistakes can be made. Please use your best judgment about whether a product is suitable for you. To be sure, do further research or confirmation on your own.

by Jeanne Yacoubou, MS

VRG Research Director

In February 2012, The VRG received a question through our website about ingredients (also known as microfractions) in protein supplements including protein bars, powders, and drinks. The questioner wanted to know the source of several ingredients often found in these products such as albumin; alpha-lactalbumin; immunoglobulins; beta-lactoglobulin; lactoferrin; glycomacropeptides; and lactoperoxidase.

The VRG researched many companies selling a wide variety of protein supplements. We compiled the information in the following chart. Please note that the most common commercial sources for use in food products (specifically protein supplements) are listed in order of predominance as researched by the writer in May 2012. We have made generalizations that are well-supported by information collected from many companies.

Readers interested in specific products should always conduct their own investigation if there are any doubts, starting with the website of the product’s manufacturer (not a reseller). Note also that some of these ingredients are commonly used in laboratories where purified animal sera are often common sources. In these cases, the ingredients are not food grade (unless they’re being investigated as food grade ingredients) and not available for purchase by consumers.

Those who would like to learn more about common ingredients in dietary supplements may find the National Library of Medicine’s Dietary Supplements Ingredients Database informative and useful as a preliminary research tool: http://dietarysupplements.nlm.nih.gov

The contents of this article, our website, and our other publications, including the Vegetarian Journal, are not intended to provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health professional. We often depend on product and ingredient information from companies. Information does change and mistakes are always possible. Please use your own best judgment about whether a product is suitable for you. Further research or confirmation may be warranted.

For more information on food processing methods and food ingredients and to purchase our Guide to Food Ingredients, please visit our website at http://www.vrg.org/ingredients/index.php

For updates on ingredients and other information of interest to vegetarians and vegans, please subscribe to our e-newsletter: http://www.vrg.org/vrgnews

There are many ways to stay connected to The Vegetarian Resource Group!
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To support VRG research, donate at https://www.givedirect.org/give/givefrm.asp?CID=1565

by Jeanne Yacoubou, MS

VRG Research Director

In August 2011, we received an email from someone asking if calcium carbonate derived from oyster shells could be in food products. She relayed to us a correspondence she had received by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) which stated that “It is possible to have food products contain calcium carbonate that was derived from shells.”

The VRG surveyed several major soy and rice beverage manufacturers and vitamin companies to determine how common oyster shell is in their products today. We were informed in September 2011 by Heather, a customer service representative at SoyDream®, a Hain Celestial® product, that “all SoyDream® non-dairy beverages in the US and Canada are vegan,” and “the calcium carbonate is sourced from rock.”

Christie, a customer service representative with Eden Foods®, maker of EdenSoy®, told the VRG in October 2011 that their calcium carbonate is “from a non-animal, mineral source.”

Dee, a representative of Natures Promise® products, told us in September 2011 that the calcium carbonate in their soy and rice beverages is “from limestone.”

The VRG also contacted Caltrate® and CitraCal®, two major calcium supplement companies. Representatives told us that “There are no animal ingredients” in Caltrate®; and that their calcium carbonate is “from the earth.” We were also informed that the calcium carbonate in CitraCal® is derived “from limestone.”

The FDA correspondence received by our reader also contained this statement: “If there is someone that has an allergy to shellfish, we would suggest staying away from products or supplements that contain calcium carbonate.”

The writer was puzzled by this FDA recommendation that appears overly cautious in light of FDA’s own regulations (see below). The VRG contacted two separate offices at the FDA several times by phone and email over a three-month period to ask about the labeling of calcium carbonate. We did not receive a response.

The writer was curious to know if, perhaps mandated by the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004, (FALCPA), a product containing shellfish-derived shell components had to be labeled as containing a “major food allergen.” In fact, the vitamin company, Country Life®, labels its Calcium Magnesium Zinc with L-Glutamic Acid® dietary supplement containing calcium carbonate as “contains shellfish (oyster shell).” This “contains” statement appears as those required by FALCPA. http://www.country-life.com/moreinfo.cfm?Category=7&Product_ID=93

Without confirmation from the FDA, it appears to the writer that it is not mandatory under FALCPA for a food, beverage, or dietary supplement company to label products containing calcium carbonate derived from oyster shell as containing shellfish (“a major food allergen”). Looking more closely at the regulation itself, the wording explicitly states that it is the “protein” in the major food allergen that causes the allergy and, if present, must be labeled. If the mineral portion of shells is separated from the portion containing some carbohydrate and protein components naturally present in shells, the exclusively mineral calcium carbonate shell components are excluded from this labeling requirement. (Using analogous reasoning, FALCPA excludes highly refined soy oil from labeling requirements since it would not contain soy protein, another “major food allergen.”)

Furthermore, FALCPA clearly states that “crustacean shellfish” is the potential shellfish allergen. Oysters are not crustaceans. (Shrimp and lobster are.) Oysters (and clams) belong to the class of “shellfish” known as mollusks. For this reason alone, neither oyster protein nor oyster shell would need to be labeled under FALCPA, even though companies may, (and often do), disclose any oyster component in their products voluntarily.

It would be helpful to vegans if FALCPA required shell labeling but it does not. When there is a question about the source of calcium carbonate in a food, beverage, or dietary supplement, vegans must contact the products manufacturer. To learn more about FALCPA, readers may visit this page on the FDA website:
http://www.fda.gov/Food/LabelingNutrition/FoodAllergensLabeling/default.htm

The contents of this article, our website, and our other publications, including The Vegetarian Journal, are not intended to provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health professional. We often depend on product and ingredient information from company employees or company statements. Information does change and mistakes are always possible. Please use your own best judgment about whether a product is suitable for you. Further research or confirmation may be warranted.

For more information on food processing methods and food ingredients and to purchase our Guide to Food Ingredients, please visit our website at http://www.vrg.org/ingredients/index.php

For updates on ingredients and other information of interest to vegetarians and vegans, please subscribe to our free enewsletter at
http://www.vrg.org/vrgnews/

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