By Jeanne Yacoubou, MS
VRG Research Director

A journalist recently asked us about L-cysteine for an article she was doing on food additives. For others interested in L-cysteine, here’s a summary in question and answer format based on information relayed to us by several food industry employees over the past few years.

Q. Is L-cysteine a softening agent that is used in many types of bread?

A. L-cysteine is best described, (as it is in the FDA’s Code of Federal Regulations), as a dough conditioner or dough strengthener. It makes the dough more manageable, (i.e., able to be stretched out and unlikely to bounce back to its original ball-like state when making a pizza crust, for example).

It is most common in pizza dough and bagels. It may be present in other types of bread products, too.

Q. Can it be derived from hog hair, human hair, and feathers?

A. The major commercial sources of L-cysteine today are Chinese and Indian avian feathers and human hair. Hog’s hair as a source is likely when the hair/feather supply is low. Because the industrial plants needed to extract L-cysteine exist in China, most of the extraction is done there (i.e., it’s too costly for companies to ship feathers/hair and extract it here when the feathers, hair and industrial plants are already there).

Dark hair is richer in L-cysteine than light hair. Although there is no technical difference between L-cysteine derived from feathers versus that derived from human hair, industry sources have told us that human hair-derived L-cysteine is considered better and preferred in Europe.

Q. Is it sometimes, but not always, listed on labels?

A. According to the CFR (http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=101.4) under paragraph 18, L-cysteine is listed on labels, usually in a parenthetical expression after the term “dough conditioner.” However, it need not be listed if L-cysteine is an ingredient used to make other ingredients which are in a final product. For example, L-cysteine used as a “reaction flavor” (http://askfsis.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/465/related/1 see #7) need not be labeled. Another example is in a pizza kit in which there are individual packets of dough, sauce, and seasonings in a larger box. L-cysteine may be in the dough but not labeled as an ingredient in the kit.

Q. Is it safe (but possibly undesirable) to eat?

A. L-cysteine has GRAS status (Generally Recognized as Safe) http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=184.1271.

FDA considers it safe when used at suggested levels for dough conditioning. Human or animal sources may be undesirable to some people. Synthetic and microbial versions of L-cysteine exist and are used in products with an approximately 10% total market share, but at present are more costly than hair- or feather-derived L-cysteine.

For more information on ingredients, visit http://www.vrg.org/ingredients/index.php

For vegetarian- or vegan-related information on a wide variety of topics, please subscribe to our e-newsletter at http://www.vrg.org/vrgnews/

To support VRG research, you may donate at http://www.vrg.org/donate

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 changes 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.

We’re hosting a vegan networking dinner during the annual meeting of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics! The restaurant is walking distance to the Convention Center. VRG’s Nutrition Advisor Reed Mangels and VRG staff will participate in a discussion.

WHERE
Café Th
2108 Pease Street
Houston, TX 77003

WHEN
Sunday, October 20, 2013, 6 PM

MENU
Spring rolls with tofu
Vegetable Noodle Soup with rice noodles, tofu, and vegetables including squash, portabello mushrooms, and bok choy
Yellow Curry with cauliflower, green beans, carrots, and potatoes
Vermicelli with Lemongrass
Stir-Fried Tofu with tomatoes, onions, and bell peppers
Rice
Tea

Cost: $25 per person. Includes tax and tip.

Menu subject to change. Please reserve early as seating is limited. Please send $25 to The Vegetarian Resource Group, P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203. Or pay online at www.vrg.org/donate and write in Th Dinner and the attendees’ names in the comments. Or call (410) 366-8343 between 9 AM and 5 PM Eastern time, Monday to Friday to pay with a Visa or MasterCard. Refunds only if we can replace your seat.

Our Vegetarian Journal article “Soups of South America” is now translated into Spanish.
See: http://www.vrg.org/nutshell/las_sopas_de_sudamerica.php

Los recetas son:

• Mazamorra (Sopa de Maíz)
• Crema de Quinua
• Feijoada (Estofado Brasileño de Frijoles Negros)
• Sopa de Papa y Col Rizada Estilo Portugués
• Sancocho (Estofado De Yuca Estilo Colombiano)
• Crema de Palmitos
• Puré Fresco de Chiles Picantes

This article originally appeared in English in Vegetarian Journal Issue #1, 2012. Click here to read this and other articles from that issue: http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2012issue1/VJIssue12012.pdf

For more articles in Spanish, see: http://www.vrg.org/nutshell/index.htm#spanish

One $500 award; two $250 awards!

The Rules:

Create and submit a video relating what you want to tell others about vegetarianism and/or veganism.

Some possible topics: food, nutrition, your feelings about veganism and/or vegetarianism, water usage and vegetarianism, vegetarianism and animal rights, or other vegetarian topics which appeal to you. Humor and feelings are appreciated. All videos should be positive, not be critical of anyone, and not include any footage of animal cruelty. You may submit a video you have already made.

Aspects of judging include accuracy and judges wanting to share the video with others.

Entrants give permission to The Vegetarian Resource Group to post and share the video, to link to and from the video, and share the video with the media.

DEADLINE: April 20, 2013

Click here to read the rest of the scholarship rules and apply»

Anja Perse was one winner of The Vegetarian Resource Group video contest for her video Biti zdrav / Being Healthy. She said:

I think my documentary describes my decision of becoming a vegan quite well, but I’ll put it in words anyway. I’m interested in vegetarianism, or more in veganism, because of the health issues I had in the past. I realized that food is really an important element when it comes to health and I noticed that this kind of food habit make me feel better. I feel healthier and lighter, my body shape is much better than before and also I feel sort of clean and light. And I don’t call veganism a diet, I call it a lifestyle, because diets are usually short-term food habits, but this is my decision for the long-term and probably for my whole life. I believe in it, I stand for it, I support it. So my main reason is health and saving animal lives sort of came with it, and I like it this way. So I’m not trying only with food, but with clothing and other things too. I like to live environmentally friendly.

Visit http://havegreenheart.wordpress.com/ for more of Anja’s recipes.

How many times has someone asked you how you can get enough protein on a vegan or vegetarian diet?

We’ve just published the 5th edition of Simply Vegan and updated the nutrition section, including Protein in the Vegan Diet. The section includes helpful charts showing how much protein is found in common foods vegetarians/vegans eat, which you can see here: http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/protein.php

Click here to purchase the updated edition of Simply Vegan

According to the Sacramento Business Journal, Chipotle Mexican Grill expanded its vegan tofu burrito to all of Northern California, including a local launch at its Ikea Court store in West Sacramento on Wednesday: http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2013/04/09/chipotle-unveiling-vegan-tofu-burrito.html

In January, Chipotle announced that they planned to test the menu item at selected locations in the San Francisco Bay Area in February. From the press release:

“Sofritas, shredded tofu braised with chipotle chilis, roasted poblanos and a blend of aromatic spices, is made with organic, non-GMO tofu from Oakland’s Hodo Soy. Chipotle expects Sofritas to appeal to vegetarian and vegan customers….”

For more information, see: http://ir.chipotle.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=194775&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1778960&highlight=

Boots Bakery & Lounge
https://www.facebook.com/bootsbakerylounge
24 W. Main Ave., Spokane, WA 99201
(509) 703-7223
Vegan/bakery/café/lounge. Boots Bakery & Lounge features vegan bistro fare in an eclectic environment. Try the Barbecue Tofu, ‘Tuno’ Casserole, or Tofu Scramble. Their
baked goods are delicious, especially the hugely popular, vegan Carrot Cake. Their Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffin is a crowd favorite. Boots features local art. Wi-Fi and outdoor seating are available. Open Sunday through Tuesday for breakfast, lunch, and early dinner. Open Wednesday through Saturday for three meals. Limited service, take-out, catering, espresso, alcohol, VISA/MC/AMEX/DISC, $.

Mama Bakes Safe Cakes
http://www.mamabakessafecakes.com/
5725 N. Commerce Ct., Ste. 250, Alpharetta, GA 30004
(770) 664-5638
Vegan/bakery. Mama Bakes Safe Cakes is an allergy-friendly dedicated bakery – all items are gluten-free, egg-free, dairy-free, and peanut-free. They even have a second
dedicated baking room for soy-free and nut/coconut-free items. Cupcakes are their specialty; enjoy flavors like Red Rooibos Velvet, Vanilla, Chocolate, Coconut, Mocha,
or Chocolate Caramel. Open Tuesday through Saturday. Closed Sunday and Monday. Counter service, take-out, espresso, VISA/MC/AMEX/DISC, $-$$.

Pig Minds Brewing
http://www.pigmindsbrewing.com/
4080 Steele Dr., Machesney Park, IL 61115
(779) 423-2147
Vegan/American/brew pub. Pig Minds Brewing is a microbrewery with all-vegan food! Try the Memphis Hound Dog (non-meat hot dog), Buffalo Wrap (made with soy chicken), The Pig Mind (black bean burger), or Seitanic “Wings.” Don’t miss the chocolate brownies made with their own Pig Minds Stout Beer! The brewery has a taproom featuring select house brews on tap. Open Monday through Thursday for late lunch and dinner. Open Friday and Saturday for lunch and dinner through late night service. Open Sunday for lunch and dinner. Full service, beer/wine, VISA/MC, $-$$.

Plant Based Pizza
http://www.plantbasedpizza.com/
1111 Meridian Ave., Ste. 2, San Jose, CA 95125
(408) 448-8881
Vegan/pizzeria. Plant Based Pizza’s goal is to provide “cruelty-free food that is delicious and good for the planet.” The Mediterranean and Hawaiian pizzas are quite popular and the eatery is known for its chewy crust. While the focus is on pizza, they also offer calzones, panini, salads, burgers, and hot dogs — all vegan! If you adopt an animal companion from a shelter, Plant Based Pizza will give you a free pizza to show their appreciation! This small pizzeria is “making the world a better place, one pizza at a time.” Open daily for lunch and dinner. Limited service, take-out, delivery, VISA/MC/AMEX/DISC, $-$$$.

For more restaurants in the United States and Canada see: http://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php

To support The Vegetarian Resource Group research, outreach, and education of food services, please donate at: https://www.vrg.org/donate

By Ali Browder

I originally decided to intern at VRG because I wanted to learn more about non-profits. I began my internship in late December with a translation project, and now, mid-March, my internship is coming to an end. In these past few months I have learned so much.

I have worked on many projects during my internship. I began with translating nutritional articles to Spanish. I translated articles about vegan pregnancy, and the importance of calcium, iron, and vitamin B12. Translation was one of my favorite tasks during my internship because reading the articles was a very informative experience, and I also learned many new words in Spanish during the translation process. Besides that, I participated in other small tasks around the office. I contacted companies to ask for vegan food samples, and I reviewed the products for the Vegetarian Journal. I worked on the Restaurant Guide, another fun project, and I was able to learn about vegetarianism in cities all over North America. Additionally, I responded to many scholarship entries. I enjoyed this project because I was able to see how vegetarianism had impacted other students’ lives.

As my internship comes to a close, I think back to my first day at the VRG. The first day that I came to the VRG, Charles gave me a plethora of vegan cookbooks. I was so excited to be able to try out new recipes. Throughout my internship, I learned of more recipes, when the scholarship applicants wrote about their favorite dishes. One applicant even sent an entire cookbook full of her recipes! After giving me the cookbooks, Charles explained to me how a non-profit works and what the VRG does. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to intern at the VRG – they are a great group of people and what they do is inspiring.

If you are interested in a Vegetarian Resource Group internship, visit: http://www.vrg.org/student/

To support Vegetarian Resource Group outreach, donate at http://www.vrg.org/donate

One $500 award; two $250 awards!

The Rules:

Create and submit a video relating what you want to tell others about vegetarianism and/or veganism.

Some possible topics: food, nutrition, your feelings about veganism and/or vegetarianism, water usage and vegetarianism, vegetarianism and animal rights, or other vegetarian topics which appeal to you. Humor and feelings are appreciated. All videos should be positive, not be critical of anyone, and not include any footage of animal cruelty. You may submit a video you have already made.

Aspects of judging include accuracy and judges wanting to share the video with others.

Entrants give permission to The Vegetarian Resource Group to post and share the video, to link to and from the video, and share the video with the media.

DEADLINE: April 20, 2013

Click here to read the rest of the scholarship rules and apply »

John Frazier was one of last year’s winners for his bedtime story for vegetarian kids, Tofu Tiger. He said, “I am a vegetarian and I made this story for my daughter. I’d be thrilled if others could enjoy the story.”

By Jeanne Yacoubou, MS
VRG Research Director

Cafe Rio opened in 1997 in six Utah locations. Currently, there are fifty-seven locations in ten states: Arizona, California, Montana, Wyoming. Nevada, Colorado, Idaho, and Utah in the West and in Maryland and Virginia on the East Coast. A list of locations may be found at http://www.caferio.com/locations.

The VRG spoke with Aubrie in the Support Center at Cafe Rio. She told us that neither the black beans, the pinto beans nor the rice contain any animal flavors or broths. None of their bread products were made with L-cysteine as a dough conditioner. The guacamole does not contain gelatin. A soybean-based shortening is used in the kitchen where vegetarian and vegan menu items are prepared separately from meat products.

Aubrie told us that Cafe Rio’s purchasing director is a vegetarian and so is aware of many of the ingredient concerns of vegetarians and vegans. She has developed lists (previously available online) of all menu items that are vegetarian or vegan and is currently updating them. In mid-March 2013, Aubrie said that “the [updated] vegan and vegetarian information should be available on our website shortly.”

The update was needed because of a recent ingredient change. Aubrie informed The VRG that

…there was a change made recently with the margarine that is used in our California, Maryland, and Virginia locations. Previously the margarine was dairy-free, but with the change made the new margarine does contain dairy…If you are looking for vegan or animal-free products in the California, Maryland, and Virginia markets here is a list of items that are safe:

• black beans
• pinto beans
• flour tortillas
• corn tortillas
• corn chips
• corn strips for salads
• tostada shells
• guacamole
• Pico de Gallo sauce
• Salsa Fresca
• romaine lettuce

To clarify the margarine change, we asked Aubrie if Cafe Rio restaurants in other states use margarine containing dairy. She replied by stating that “all of our other markets do not use dairy-free margarine and we do not anticipate that any changes will be made in the near future.”

On its website, Cafe Rio states that all of its food is “fresh and made daily. There aren’t any microwaves or freezers in any of our locations. Nothing is premade. We don’t have mechanized processed food.” Readers interested in learning more about Cafe Rio may visit its website: http://www.caferio.com/

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 the latest news on fast food and quick service chains, visit The VRG at http://www.vrg.org/fastfoodinfo.php

To purchase our Guide to Food Ingredients, please visit our website: http://www.vrg.org/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=8