by Jeanne Yacoubou, MS
VRG Research Director

The VRG recently surveyed food ingredient manufacturers and suppliers as well as bread and bagel companies to find out if the animal sources of the common amino acid dough conditioner and human and pet food reaction flavor used to make flavor enhancers, L-cysteine, were still dominant in the marketplace as they were in 2007 when we last reported on L-cysteine. The answer was a resounding "yes."

One leading amino acid supplier reported to us in February 2011 that "duck feathers or human hair" were the sources, based on an official statement received from its Chinese supplier.

A product manager with another food ingredients company reported to The VRG in August 2010 that "it’s not human hair, not duck feathers, that’s the major source of L-cysteine today; it’s hog hair." He estimated hog hair to be the source of 90% of the Chinese L-cysteine supply.

A manager of company that produces non-animal L-cysteine stated in September 2010 that the major animal source of L-cysteine today was "human hair mostly" followed by "duck feathers or hog hair when the human hair supply was low." According to this source, feathers and hog hair "are reportedly inefficient compared to [human] hair [in yielding great quantities of L-cysteine]. So if there is a problem with hair [supply], then hog hair or feathers may be a backup."

In September 2010, the VRG asked companies that produce non-animal versions of L-cysteine how their product was doing on the market. Estimates given by the leading companies put the vegetable-based fermentation or synthetic product at approximately 10% of the L-cysteine market today. The reason given for the low market share is the high price of non-animal L-cysteine (two to three times as much) compared to the much cheaper and much more plentiful Chinese (and Indian, to a lesser but growing degree), supply.

A second reason given is that a growing number of food companies are demanding a "natural" product and a "synthetic" L-cysteine does not meet that criterion. Furthermore, a major reseller of L-cysteine told us in September 2010 that the company policy is to label anything using an animal-derived (i.e., hair or feathers) L-cysteine as "non-vegetarian" even though it is still technically "vegetarian" and considered "natural." Their labeling decision was precautionary in response to those who prefer to avoid all animal-sourced ingredients. (Note: one company does sell an L-cysteine manufactured through microbial fermentation and another is in the process of developing their own fermentation technique. The latter company estimates that it may take two-three years to perfect the process on an industrial scale and then bring it to market.)

The writer noticed through canvassing many companies in February and March 2011, compared to 2007 when The VRG last updated L-cysteine, (http://www.vrg.org/vrgnews/2007jul.htm#s2), that a growing number of companies are requesting or reselling only non-animal derived L-cysteine for food use.

Concerned individuals who would like to see more of the non-animal L-cysteine used in their bread products as well as in other human food and pet products are encouraged to voice their opinion politely to food companies and restaurant chains that are using the animal-sourced L-cysteine. Likewise, food companies and chains which are using non-animal L-cysteine are due a "thank you."

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by Jeanne Yacoubou, MS
VRG Research Director

The VRG recently received an email from a London reader asking about
L-cysteine in Domino’s pizza. He reported to us that Domino’s UK told
him that the L-cysteine used in the United Kingdom “is made
synthetically” and wondered if this were true for the United States.

We contacted Domino’s Quality Assurance Department and posed the
question as we did in 2007 when we were told that Domino’s L-cysteine
in its Hand-Tossed Crust, Breadsticks, the Cheesy Bread and the Cinna
Stix is “not animal-derived.” This time the same individual told us
that “We still use L-Cysteine in our Hand Tossed dough, Bread for
Sandwiches and Pasta, Breadsticks, and Cinna Stix.” Upon further
questioning, our contact informed us that “the source is non-animal.”

Although The VRG has attempted by phone and email to get more detail
on “non-animal” and “synthetic,” Domino’s has not supplied us with any
further information at this time.

Readers may wish to note that Domino’s Brooklyn Crust also contains
L-cysteine. Its Deep Dish Crust contains dairy-derived ingredients (as
do the Hand Tossed and Brooklyn crusts). The Crunchy Thin Crust
appears to be all vegetable-based. The pizza sauce at Domino’s,
according to the ingredient listings on Domino’s website, is
plant-derived as well.

Click here to read VRG’s latest report on L-cysteine at McDonald’s, also pasted below.

L-cysteine is “A common dough conditioner, flavor enhancer in human and pet foods, and precursor in some dietary supplements is most often derived from human hair or duck feathers and to a lesser extent from pigs’ bristles and hooves.” (for more information on L-cysteine, click here)

L-cysteine in McDonald’s Apple and Cherry Pies is Derived from an Animal Source

by Jeanne Yacoubou, MS
VRG Research Director

A Pacific Northwest VRG member asked us about the source of the L-cysteine in the cherry pies at her local McDonald’s. Erin, a McDonald’s customer service representative, told us in January 2009 that since the cherry pie is not a national, “core” menu item, no information about the pie was available. Erin suggested that we contact the local restaurants that carry it.

The VRG made several random calls to McDonald’s restaurants in Seattle, WA and Portland, OR. We were given a wide variety of answers but the general conclusion was that no one knew because they had no ingredient information. We were directed back to the corporate offices of McDonald’s.

The VRG discovered that the Bama Company supplies McDonald’s with their pies. We left several messages and sent several emails to Bama in the spring of 2009 but received no response.

In May 2009, The VRG received a call from Kathy at McDonald’s Illinois corporate office. She told us that the L-cysteine in McDonald’s cherry pie is derived “from an animal source.” When we inquired further regarding the specific animal source, Kathy told us that the supplier did not provide any more specification. Kathy also noted that supplier and ingredient information may change and that they guarantee no product as vegetarian.

As a follow-up, The VRG called the McDonald’s consumers line again and asked if the L-cysteine in the apple pie was also derived from “an animal source.” In November 2009, Michaela told us that the L-cysteine in the apple pie was from an animal source. When we asked for more specification, Josie, who works in menu development at McDonald’s corporate office, called us and said that the L-cysteine in the apple pie is from “an animal source but not human-derived.” When I asked for more specification (specifically, whether it was from duck feathers), she said that she had no other information and said that degree of specification is proprietary information.

Interested readers may refer to our article on L-cysteine available here: http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2008issue1/2008_issue1_lcysteine.php Readers may subscribe to our free enewsletter at www.vrg.org for further updates on ingredients used at McDonald’s and all other major restaurant chains.

Panda Express is featuring Beyond The Original Orange Chicken made from plants. They mention that it is “Prepared with the same cooking equipment as meat products.” Their website states: Panda Express does not have any vegetarian or gluten free dishes. Panda prepares its entrees fresh with shared cooking equipment and therefore allergens could be present in any entrée.

Here are ingredients for a few other items that may be of interest.

Chow Mein
Ingredients: cabbage, enriched wheat flour, water, onion, soybean oil, celery, contains less than 2% of: rice, wheat, caramel color, sesame oil, wheat gluten, canola oil, cottonseed oil, dextrose, sugar, malted barley flour, monoglycerides, DATEM, l-cysteine hydrochloride, ascorbic acid, enzyme, modified cornstarch, xanthan gum, potassium carbonate, salt, sodium carbonate, yellow 5, yellow 6, potassium bicarbonate.
*This dish uses a proprietary sauce, with the following primary ingredients: water, sugar, soy sauce, salt, spices

Steamed Rice
Ingredients: cooked white rice

Super Greens
Ingredients: cabbage, broccoli, kale, water, soybean oil, contains less than 2% of: garlic, phosphoric acid, natural flavor, cornstarch, potato starch, modified food starch, salt, maltodextrin, disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate, dehydrated soy sauce powder, sugar, onion powder, celery extract.

Eggplant Tofu (Regional)
Ingredients: eggplant, firm tofu, soybean oil, red bell peppers, distilled vinegar, sugar, water, contains less than 2% of: garlic, phosphoric acid, guar gum, rice, wheat, caramel color, salt, modified food starch, potato starch, corn starch, sesame oil.
*This dish uses a proprietary sauce, with the following primary ingredients: water, sugar, soy sauce, salt, spices.

For information about other chains, see https://www.vrg.org/fastfoodinfo.php
For info about vegetarian and vegan restaurants in the USA and Canada, go to https://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php

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 Jeanne Yacoubou, MS

After careful analysis of the posted ingredient statements for all menu options on the Domino’s Pizza website, here are their vegan menu items.

Vegan crust at Domino’s Pizza

The only vegan crust at Domino’s is the thin crust dough. All the others contain whey or honey.

As The VRG recently reported, the L-cysteine dough conditioner at Domino’s is microbial.

Which sauce at Domino’s Pizza is vegan?

Domino’s pizza sauce appears vegan. It contains sugar which may have been processed through cow bone char.

The VRG asked Spencer Breidinger, Manager of Global Product Quality and Regulatory Compliance – Supply Chain Services at Domino’s about its sugar and how it had been processed before arriving at Domino’s. He replied:

“Our sauce and seasoning suppliers have confirmed that bone char is not used in the processing of the sugar they source.”

Vegan diners should note that the Hearty Marinara Sauce contains butter and cheese.

Vegetarian patrons should be aware that the Spinach & Feta Pizza is made with Alfredo sauce which contains beef enzymes.  

Is there a vegan cheese option at Domino’s Pizza?

At this time, Domino’s does not offer non-dairy cheese in the United States.

The VRG asked Aubrey Yuzva, the Director of Menu and Product Development at Domino’s Pizza, if Domino’s had ever trialed non-dairy cheese in the past or had any plans to offer it in the future. Aubrey replied in November 2021 by email:

“We have not offered non-dairy cheese in the United States before, but other regions have launched or tested those types of offerings in the past. Unfortunately, I can’t comment on future plans around non-dairy cheese alternatives for confidentiality reasons.”

Note: The VRG reported on Domino’s Israel and its soy cheese debut in 2014.

The VRG followed up by asking where interested readers should check for updates on any non-dairy cheese trials or launches at Domino’s. Aubrey responded:

“Any official announcements would largely be made via press release, our website, social media pages, and TV advertising.”

If you would like to see vegan cheese at Domino’s, The VRG encourages readers to contact the restaurant chain directly through their website contact form and on social media. Express your wish to have a vegan cheese option at Domino’s. Be sure to specify your city and state to aid them in any trials.

For information about other chains, see:
https://www.vrg.org/fastfoodinfo.php

For information about ingredients, see: https://www.vrg.org/ingredients/index.php

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 blog commenter Nirav asked us in June 2021 for “…an update…and latest information…” on Domino’s Pacific Veggie Pizza. He referred to our 2013 article titled “Parmesan-Asiago Cheese on Domino’s Pacific Veggie Pizza Contains Animal-Derived Lipase.”

We first reached out to Domino’s in July 2021 through its website contact form. Here is what we asked:

“Does the Pacific Veggie Pizza contain any cheese made with animal enzymes, including rennet or lipase? The information on your ingredients page states there are three cheeses in this pizza: provolone, mozzarella, and feta, but specific enzyme types and sources aren’t given.”

For interested readers, here is the complete ingredient statement for the Pacific Veggie Pizza posted on the Domino’s Pizza website. Bolded words are theirs:

“Provolone Cheese [Shredded Provolone Cheese (Pasteurized Milk, Cultures, Salt, Enzymes), Nonfat Milk, Sodium Propionate (Added As A Preservative)], Pizza Sauce [Tomato Puree (Water, Tomato Paste), Sugar, Salt, Spices, Garlic, Soybean Oil, and Citric Acid], Pizza Cheese [Part Skim Mozzarella Cheese (Pasteurized Milk, Cultures, Salt, Enzymes, Modified Food Starch, Cellulose (Added to Prevent Caking), Nonfat Milk, Whey Protein Concentrate, Natural Flavors, Sodium Propionate (Added as a Preservative)], Spinach, Feta Cheese [Cultured Pasteurized Milk, Salt, Enzymes, Potato Starch (Added To Prevent Caking)], Fresh Mushrooms, Fresh Yellow Onions, Roasted Red Peppers [Red Peppers, Water, Salt, Citric Acid, Calcium Chloride], Diced Tomatoes [Fresh Vine-Ripened California Tomatoes, Tomato Juice, Salt, Calcium Chloride, Citric Acid], Black Olives [Ripe Olives, Water, Salt, Ferrous Gluconate (added to stabilize color)], Garlic & Herb Shake-On [Garlic, Onion, Spices, (Black Pepper, Fennel, Parsley, Basil, Bay Leaves, Marjoram, Oregano, Savory, Thyme, Red Pepper, Coriander, Cumin, Mustard, Rosemary, and Celery Seed), *Carrot, *Orange Peel, Natural Flavor, Flavor, (Natural Flavoring, Soy Lecithin), And No Greater Than 2% Soybean Oil Added As A Processing Aid. *Dehydrated].”

A few days later we received the following email response from Katie of Domino’s Customer Support:

“Domino’s pizza cheese (mozzarella) is made with a microbial rennet. As far as our other cheeses, Domino’s purchases from many suppliers and does not specify the source of all ingredients. The source could vary from time to time based on availability.

L-cysteine and the enzymes in our hand tossed dough are microbial based. We use sweet dairy whey and it is a byproduct of milk from cows.

Most of the products Domino’s serves (such as pizza cheese or sandwich bread) do not contain animal derived enzymes. The Alfredo sauce does contain enzymes from a beef source.

All enzymes used in this cheese are from a non-animal source.”

Note from The VRG: The sentence in the quote above from Katie in Domino’s Customer Support is bolded by The VRG for emphasis. The Spinach & Feta pizza at Domino’s contains the Alfredo sauce made with beef enzymes.

The VRG wanted more information about the part of Katie’s response where she had stated that “…All enzymes used in this cheese are from a non-animal source.”

It is not clear which cheese(s) she was referring to in that sentence.

So we replied to Katie asking for more clarification on this point. We wanted to know if she were talking about one or more of the three cheeses in the Pacific Veggie Pizza.

This time, Ramea of Domino’s Customer Support replied by repeating:

“All of the enzymes in our mozzarella cheese are from a non-animal source. As far as our other cheeses, Domino’s purchases from many suppliers and does not specify the source of all ingredients. The source could vary from time to time based on availability.”

Cheese Enzymes on Domino’s Pacific Veggie Pizza

Still unclear from the lack of specificity in the answer, we extended our reach back to three mid- and senior-level employees who had helped us with Domino’s ingredient information in years prior to our 2013 article. Although they were no longer with the company, we managed to reach a few employees in the quality assurance and menu and product development departments at Domino’s.

The VRG asked them:

“In 2013, Carey Allen, a Quality Assurance Specialist at Domino’s, wrote to us:

‘..Domino’s shredded provolone, pizza cheese (mozzarella), and feta cheeses are made with rennet derived from a non-animal source. Parm/Asiago blend (the cheese applied to the Hand Tossed crust for Pacific Veggie) contains lipase enzyme from an animal source, but the rennet is derived from a non-animal source. Parmesan shake-on (grated parm) rennet is non-animal sourced and does not contain lipase.

All American Legends^® theme pizzas, including the Pacific Veggie build, include cheese applied to the crust rim when made with hand tossed dough. If there is concern, the consumer ordering can specify ‘no cheese on crust rim.’’

Could you tell us if these statements are still accurate today?”

Spencer Breidinger, Manager of Global Product Quality and Regulatory Compliance – Supply Chain Services at Domino’s, wrote to us in November 2021:

“Yes, they are accurate with the exception of the cheese rim on ‘Legends’ pizzas. We no longer apply cheese to the rim of these menu items.”

To get more clarification on the other points previously stated by former employee Carey Allen (quoted above), The VRG followed up by asking:

“1. Of the three cheeses in the Pacific Veggie Pizza, (according to your website: provolone, mozzarella, and feta), do any of them contain animal-derived lipase?

2. Is the Parm/Asiago blend (the cheese applied to the hand tossed crust for Pacific Veggie that contains animal-derived lipase), the cheese that is NOT used anymore?”

Spencer replied by writing in response to the first question in December 2021 after consulting with his team:

“No added lipase is in these cheeses, however naturally occurring lipase enzyme may be present.”

And to the second question, he replied:

“The Parm-Asiago is no longer used on the crust of those pizzas, but is still a menu item that can be chosen by the consumer. The cheese itself has not changed.”

Interested readers who have further questions about Domino’s menu items should contact Domino’s directly.

For information about other chains, see https://www.vrg.org/fastfoodinfo.php

Also see an upcoming posting about vegan options at Domino’s.

For information about ingredients, see: https://www.vrg.org/ingredients/index.php

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

In January 2021, The Vegetarian Resource Group received an inquiry from a food scientist asking if the microbial enzyme protease is vegan. It’s produced by the bacteria Bacillus subtilis on a wheat or soy growth media (fermentation material/substrate).

     Here is our response:

When categorizing any ingredient as vegan, vegetarian, non-vegetarian, or as “typically” one of those three, it is important to consider each ingredient separately. This is especially true when it comes to microbial enzymes.

     You’re right to take the substrate medium into account. Cane sugar is problematic because of the possibility of bone char processing. Whey, L-cysteine, casein, caseinates, or albumen are possibilities as medium components as well.

     Some other components added to media may be problematic, too. (E.g., lecithin from egg or collagen/gelatin from a mammal or fish – although unlikely, it’s a good idea to ask).

     The strictest vegans would ask about animal-derived genetic material. Has any been engineered into the microbial genome to produce the enzyme? Or is the enzyme truly a bacterial protease (as compared to, for example, porcine trypsin produced by bacteria through genetic modification)?

     Lastly, verifying that separation and purification of the protease from the bacterial cells and medium occurred solely by non-animal-derived chemicals and/or mechanical means is needed.”

Are animal-derived enzymes like the protease, pepsin, used in food today?

VRG readers may be interested to know that there are several companies designing microbes to make proteases that have typically been sourced from animals like pigs and cows. The microbes have been genetically engineered to produce enzymes and other proteins used in foods, beverages, and dietary supplements.

     On a commercial basis, animal-derived enzymes are not commonly used today, but they are approved for food use by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and, so, could be used. Pepsin, a type of protease, is one of them.

     According to the FDA, “Pepsin is an enzyme preparation obtained from the glandular layer of hog stomach. It is a white to light tan powder, amber paste, or clear amber to brown liquid.”

     Creative Enzymes, an enzyme company, states this information about pepsin on its website:

“Pepsin can be used in the food industry. Pepsin is a component of pancreatic curd that condenses and twists during cheese production. Pepsin can be used to modify soybean protein and gelatin and provide whipping qualities. It can also modify the plant protein used in non-dairy snacks and make pre-cooked cereals into instant hot cereals. Pepsin can also be used to prepare animal and plant protein hydrolysates for seasoning food and beverages. In the leather industry, it is used to remove hair and residual tissue from leather and to recover silver from abandoned photographic film by digesting the gelatin layer in which silver is stored.”

     When pepsin is used to make food and beverages, it serves as a processing aid and, as such, does not have to be labeled. Consumers who want to know if an animal-derived pepsin was used in a food or drink must request this information directly from companies.

     Most manufacturers today wish to avoid animal sources (especially in light of the Covid-19 pandemic), present clean labeling on their packaged foods, and/or manufacture consistently pure, plentiful, and sustainable products. For these reasons, they are turning to microbial enzymes instead of animal enzymes.

     Many of the most common enzymes used today as processing aids or in supplements are called digestive proteases that break down proteins. Pepsin may be used to prepare plant-based protein hydrolysates and bioactive peptides. Both are widespread in packaged food, beverages, and dietary supplements.

     Clara Foods recently introduced to the market a yeast-derived pepsin using microbial fermentation technology. The company is also set to offer a chicken-free egg white and is poised to launch similar products manufactured in the same way this year. According to the company, all of their products have the same texture, taste, or functionality in food and beverages as their animal-derived counterparts.

The contents of this posting 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 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

Vegan cosmetics, by definition, contain no animal products or animal-derived ingredients from:

• meat
• poultry
• fish
• seafood
• dairy
• egg
• human hair or poultry feathers
• insects (This last category includes honey, shellac, and carmine/cochineal.)

Major Animal Ingredients in Cosmetics

Some of the major animal ingredients which could be found in cosmetics (and which vegans, of course, avoid) include:

• gelatin
• collagen
• squalane oil
• stearic acid
• stearates (magnesium and calcium)
• L-cysteine
• lanolin
• carmine
• shellac
• honey

Several of the ingredients above, or functionally similar ingredients used as substitutes for these in cosmetics, may be sourced from plant materials. Commercially, many of these are today (July 2020).

Squalane oil, for example, traditionally came from shark squalene although this is rare today. Currently, it is commonly derived from rice, wheat or olives. In cases where the listed ingredients are taken from animals, it is usually cows, pigs or fish. If the animals from which these ingredients are derived have not been slaughtered following Islamic guidelines, their meat and meat products (including ingredients) would be considered haram (forbidden) by some Muslim authorities.

Said in another way, some Islamic experts suggest that the ingredients would be halal if and only if you can be sure that the slaughter was carried out correctly. Muslim authorities consider fish or seafood-derived ingredients as permissible to eat, and, therefore, halal. Today, some gelatin and collagen in consumer products (like cosmetics) are derived from fish. Pig-based ingredients are always haram. Cow-derived ingredients may or may not be halal.

Conclusion: Based on this assessment of animal ingredients, there may be cosmetics which are not vegan but would be halal. But there is more to consider when looking at vegan cosmetics and their possible halal status.

No Legal Definition of Vegan

Since there is no legal definition of the term vegan, companies can use or define the word as they’d like without repercussion, and they do. Furthermore, cosmetics are poorly regulated in the United States. That is, companies have few governmental restrictions and regulations on how they source and use their ingredients. Also, all ingredients in the bottle do not have to be listed on its label. Those that are listed do not need to have source (e.g., animal, plant, microbial or synthetic) indicated.

Conclusion: It is always difficult to ascertain without a doubt all of the ingredients and their sources in cosmetics. Therefore, its vegan status is based on trust that what a company tells you is true and complete.

Are Alcohol Ingredients in Vegan Cosmetics Considered Halal?

Alcoholic beverages contain ethanol, making them haram (i.e., forbidden in the Muslim religion). Some cosmetics contain a number of different alcohols including ethanol. There are different opinions on whether ethanol in cosmetics would be considered halal.

Some Muslim authorities say ethanol below 1% as a preservative in food in a substance is halal. This could be a reasonable percentage in a cosmetic and, so, likely halal (by extension).

Other Islamic authorities say “every drop” of ethanol in hand sanitizer is always haram. Also by extension, ethanol in cosmetics would always be haram. Commercial production of ethanol today is almost always plant-based (e.g., corn) making it vegan.

It’s important to note that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states that when “alcohol” appears on a label, ethanol is intended.

Strictly speaking, and assuming all other ingredients are vegan, cosmetics containing ethanol are vegan, but are not always halal (depends on your chosen authority).

Cosmetics listed as “alcohol-free,” however, may contain other types of alcohol (just not ethanol). Some of these, such as stearyl alcohol, cetearyl alcohol, or lanolin alcohol, may be produced using animal-derived ingredients. In these cases, the cosmetics would not be vegan. They may or may not be halal (depending on whether the cow’s slaughter or the sheep shearing was religious).

(NOTE: Cetearyl alcohol got its name from its original source: cetaceans (i.e., whales).

Petrochemicals in Cosmetics

Many cosmetics ingredients today, sometimes including ethanol, are derived from petrochemicals (i.e., fossil fuels). These are considered vegan. Similarly, alcohols, including ethanol, are often used to extract botanical oils which are common cosmetics ingredients. Ethanol may be present in residual amounts in the final oil although it usually has evaporated before it’s applied to the face. Even so, this source states these botanicals are not halal because of their processing.

Plasticizer alcohols, also made from petrochemicals, are common in some cosmetics, especially fingernail products. Ethanol is not a common plasticizer alcohol, but it could be used to make ethyl acrylate in these products. This is of concern to Muslims who prohibit all ethanol-derived ingredients. However, the source cited above suggests that ethyl acrylate would be halal because it’s chemically distinct from ethanol (which is no longer present after it’s chemically transformed into ethyl acrylate.)

General Conclusion about Vegan Cosmetics

For all the reasons stated above, there are many issues to consider before calling a cosmetic vegan or halal. The two terms are not synonymous, although they often are.

The best course of action to take when determining vegan or halal status of cosmetics is to ask the company directly. We shared some tips on how to do this in previous blog posts:

https://www.vrg.org/blog/2013/02/11/tips-for-obtaining-ingredient-information-from-food-companies/

https://www.vrg.org/blog/2017/11/14/obtaining-information-from-customer-service-representatives-concerning-ingredients/

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

The Vegetarian Resource Group received an email inquiry about Pizza Hut asking: “Do you see any issues with Pizza Hut’s crusts? We know one of the crusts does contain eggs.”

Pizza Hut Customer Service Contacted

In response to our inquiry to Pizza Hut, we received an email with the subject line “Nutrition and Ingredients Animal Rennet,” which was a generic response in Q&A format, similar to an FAQ page.

“Q. What is the source of the enzymes in pizza cheese?
A. Enzymes used in the production of pizza cheese for Pizza Hut is a microbial fermentation ingredient…and is not of animal origin. However, Pizza Hut does not claim any of our products to be ‘vegetarian’ or ‘vegan’ as all products are prepared in a common area with meat products and cooked in the same oven. On request, the Restaurant Team will use additional caution when preparing products for guests with dietary concerns.

Q. Do any of the cheeses at Pizza Hut contain animal rennet?
A. Parmesan Romano cheese blend that is added to P’Zones, Breadsticks, and Ultimate Cheese Pizza as well as some Dine-In products contains both microbial enzymes and animal-based rennet. Customers can request that ‘breadstick seasoning’ or ‘Parmesan parsley blend’ NOT be added to your products, if desired…

Q. Is there meat in your pizza sauce?
A. Pizza sauce and marinara sauce contain no beef or other meat products…

1. Source of Dough Enzymes
   A. There are no animal byproducts used in any of our Pizza Hut crusts. The enzymes present in some of our dough including our breadstick dough, are used as a dough conditioner and are from a microbial origin…”

After receiving these responses, The VRG analyzed the ingredient information located on the Pizza Hut website. To find it, site visitors must click on “Nutrition” at the bottom of the homepage. Then, when on the Nutrition page, choose the bottom right red rectangle labeled “Ingredient Search”.

When we performed a search on enzymes, we noticed many menu items containing enzymes of unspecified source.

The VRG also noticed that the bean pizza sauce apparently contained beef-derived natural flavors. The listing for this sauce stated: “NATURAL FLAVOR (CONTAINS BEEF FLAVOR).” This fact was in contradiction with the email response that we had been sent (shown above).

There were many menu offerings with unspecified natural flavors. Because the natural flavors in the bean pizza sauce were apparently animal-sourced, we wanted to know if any or all of these other natural flavors in other Pizza Hut products were animal-derived.

In response to our follow-up questions, we received the identical email as above, without clarification. 

Local Pizza Hut Manager Contacted

The VRG tried calling a suburban Maryland Pizza Hut for answers, which did not result in clarification.

Pizza Hut Customer Service, Continued

We tried customer service again, and received the standard email titled “Nutrition and Ingredients Animal Rennet” without any further information.

We tried again, and we raised the beef flavor issue that was an apparent contradiction. The Pizza Hut email stated that there were no animal byproducts in the sauce. The website ingredient statement for the bean pizza sauce included the words “contains beef flavor.”

A few days later, we received an email from Pizza Hut with the subject line, “Pizza Hut Nutrition and Ingredients.” We expected to see the same FAQ-like email that we had already received three times before.

However, this email was different.

It said:

“Thank you for your interest in our product.

We sincerely apologize if our previous responses did not provide the information you requested. If you could please respond to this message providing a list of your specific concerns, we will research and provide you with that information as quickly as possible.

We apologize for the delay and thank you for your patience while we work to resolve your concerns.”

So, in reply, we sent our complete list of questions again.

Pizza Hut told us they were contacting their suppliers for the information. In May 2020, The VRG received this response from Pizza Hut. (Note: Pizza Hut’s responses follow the bullet points listed after each of our questions.)

“I have inserted the information you requested in this message. Please let me know if we did not answer all your questions.

1. Although your Q/A-style response included information on enzymes, there are other enzymes that you didn’t specifically mention. Could you please tell me: Are the enzymes (listed four times) in the Creamy Garlic Parmesan Pizza Sauce, Stuffed Garlic Knot, and Bread Bites (listed twice) derived from animals?
   •Creamy Garlic Parmesan Sauce, Parmesan parsley seasoning that is used on Stuffed Garlic Knots and the seasoning for Bread Bites all contain enzymes that are derived from both microbial and animal-derived sources…
2. The natural flavor in your bean pizza sauce is specified as “beef flavor” using your Ingredient Search Tool. Is this an actual beef-derived product?
   •Pizza Hut suppliers confirm that beef flavor used in bean pizza sauce is animal-derived (from beef). [VRG Note: VRG added bold for emphasis.]
3. Could you please tell me if the natural flavors in the following items are animal-derived?
   •Barbeque Pizza Sauce – natural flavor contains honey
   •Breadsticks – contains natural dairy-derived flavors
   •Buffalo Pizza Sauce –natural flavors not derived from animal sources
   •Buttery Blend Crust Flavor – natural flavors not derived from animal sources
   •Cheese – contains natural plant-based and dairy-derived flavors
   •Cheesesticks (natural flavors listed twice) – contains natural plant-based and dairy-derived flavors
   •Classic Marinara – natural flavors not derived from animal sources
   •Creamy Garlic Parmesan Pizza Sauce (natural flavors listed twice) [VRG Note: No further information from Pizza Hut]
   •Marinara Dipping Sauce – natural flavors not derived from animal sources
   •Stuffed Garlic Knot – contains natural plant-based and dairy-derived flavors
   •Fries – does not contain natural flavors [VRG Note: Lemon-pepper seasoning on some of the fry options contains natural flavors of unspecified source.)
4. The Mozzarella Poppers Crust contains L-cysteine. Is the L-cysteine animal-derived?

• Mozzarella Poppers crust is discontinued.”

Pizza Hut Pizza Crusts

To get back to our inquirer’s original question about Pizza Hut crusts, we analyzed the ingredient information on Pizza Hut’s website and concluded:

L-Cysteine

According to the website nutrition information, none of the pizza crusts at Pizza Hut are made with L-cysteine, a dough conditioner usually derived from poultry feathers.

The VRG did not ask Pizza Hut about the following three ingredients which may be of concern to some vegans.

Sugar

These Pizza Hut crusts contain “sugar”: Hand-Tossed, Big Dipper, Detroit, Homestyle, Original Pan, P’zone, Pan (personal), Rectangular, Skinny Slice.

DATEM

DATEM is the acronym for diacetyl tartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides. These could be animal-derived. The following Pizza Hut crusts contain DATEM: Hand-Tossed, Big Dipper, P’Zone, Pan (personal), Rectangular, Skinny Slice.

SSL

SSL is the abbreviation for sodium stearoyl lactylate. The “stearoyl” part of this chemical could come from animal-sourced stearic acid. These crusts contain SSL: Big Dipper, Detroit, Original Pan, Pan (personal), Rectangular.

VRG Note: Pizza Hut’s Thin ‘N Crispy crust does not contain sugar, DATEM, or SSL.

Vegans should note that Udi’s^® gluten-free crust at Pizza Hut contains egg whites.

The Pizza Hut Stuffed Crust contains milk.

The VRG encourages readers who have additional ingredient questions to contact Pizza Hut directly.

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.

For information about other quick service chains, see https://www.vrg.org/fastfoodinfo.php

For information about vegetarian/vegan restaurants, see https://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php

 

To support Vegetarian Resource Group research, donate at www.vrg.org/donate

Or join at https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

By Jeanne Yacoubou, MS

The VRG received an email inquiry asking us to look into 7-Eleven pizza ingredients. The reader had been trying to get answers from the chain with no luck. For example, is the crust or red sauce vegan?

(EDITORS NOTE: See bottom of this article for vegan pizza ideas. There are so many frozen vegan pizzas now and restaurants offering vegan pizza, this is your best bet. We’ve come a long way since our staff would order pizza without cheese. But we would still recommend that method as a good way to go sometimes if you don’t want the fat in vegan or non-vegan cheese, and want to load up with vegetables on the crust.)

In January 2020, The VRG sent a contact request form through the 7-Eleven website asking for a complete ingredient statement for the cheese pizza.

We specifically wanted to know:

1. Is the cheese made with animal rennet?
2. Are there animal fats (such as lard) in the crust or sauce?
3. Is the dough made with animal- or human hair-derived L-cysteine?

We also called the 7-Eleven consumer line. They wrote down our questions, and told us they would send them to the corporate office. It would take 3-5 business days to get a response.

A few days later we received an email from a 7-Eleven business consultant for the Maryland region. That email contained the ingredient list for the cheese pizza:

“CHEESE PIZZA 2019
INGREDIENTS: CHEESE (LOW MOISTURE MOZZARELLA CHEESE (CULTURED PASTEURIZED MILK, SALT, ENZYMES), CHEDDAR CHEESE (CULTURED PASTEURIZED MILK, SALT, ENZYMES, ANNATTO (COLOR)), PARMESAN CHEESE (CULTURED PASTEURIZED PART SKIM MILK, SALT, ENZYMES), WHEAT FLOUR, WATER, TOMATO PASTE, NONFAT MILK, YEAST, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF: VEGETABLE OIL (SOYBEAN AND/OR CANOLA OIL), SUGAR, PALM OIL, SALT, FERMENTED RYE FLOUR, MALTODEXTRIN, WHEAT GLUTEN, MALTED BARLEY FLOUR, FLAVOR (WATER, CONCENTRATED SPONGE EXTRACT), DRIED GARLIC, SPICE, DATEM, DEXTROSE, GUAR GUM, XANTHAN GUM, SOY LECITHIN, ASCORBIC ACID (DOUGH CONDITIONER), NIACIN, POTASSIUM SORBATE (PRESERVATIVE), REDUCED IRON, CITRIC ACID, NATURAL FLAVOR, WHEAT STARCH, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID, FERROUS SULFATE, ENZYMES CONTAINS MILK, SOY AND WHEAT,WHOLE”

VRG NOTE: “Concentrated sponge extract” is a vegetable- and microbial-sourced ingredient made of water, wheat flour, and microbes.

From this ingredient statement, we concluded that there were no animal fats such as lard (except from dairy) in the sauce or dough. L-cysteine was NOT used as a dough conditioner.

Because the source of the cheese enzymes was not specified, we asked for more information. Kelly soon relayed:

“Took a little while but here is the manufacture’s response: ‘The enzymes in the cheeses come from microbial sources.’”

At this time, our inquirer reported some other information. She related: “I managed to get a pizza [box] from the cashier the other night and read the contact info!”

So she wrote directly to the company on the box. She asked the company:

“Menu Solutions was listed on the back of this product as the customer contact website. I am a consumer who has been trying to find out 1) if the cheese on these pizzas has animal rennet; and 2) if the sauce and crust have vegan or vegetarian ingredients (no animal products or ONLY dairy/egg).  Thank you.”

She then shared with us the response she had received. It was from Scot at Schwan’s in Minnesota, the apparent parent company of Menu Solutions, located in Colorado. (The Menu Solutions website redirected to Schwan’s.)

 “The cheese enzyme is microbial-sourced. There is no egg; however, there is milk in the product. In addition, the product is not certified vegan.”

Happy to have received a response, the inquirer then asked: “In the cheese pizza, is there any pork or seafood by-products (or any animal by-products other than the dairy)?”

Scot replied: “There is no pork nor seafood in the product. There are no animal [ingredients] other than dairy.”

When I asked the inquirer what she observed when 7-Eleven staff warmed the pizza, she detailed:

“At 7-11 stores, you can see them get the pre-made pizza out…They put it on a sheet of paper and put it into their high-speed oven. That’s here in Denver…”

She mentioned that there is a “high-end” 7-Eleven in her city that makes its own crust. She stated: “The one that makes its own is one of 7-Eleven’s new concept stores. They have an actual full kitchen. They even sell ‘tap’ kombucha.”

Interested readers can find out more about 7-Eleven’s concept stores in this article.

Wanting to know more about the concept stores’ ingredients, The Vegetarian Resource Group posed this question to Kelly at 7-Eleven: “One of our members told us that a 7-Eleven in her city (Denver) makes its own pizza. How common is this?

“She also said that another store uses the food service branch of Menu Solutions whose website redirected to Schwan’s based in Minnesota. If true, does Schwan’s supply the entire USA? So, the information you’ve provided about ingredients is true for ALL 7-Eleven stores (that don’t make their own pizza) in the USA?

Also, what is the protocol for warming/cooking the pizza? Could it be prepared close to animal foods or on the same surface as animal foods (including eggs)?”

Kelly responded to The VRG:

“1. All pizza is from the same distributor, so yes, [ingredients] would be the same.
2. We cook the pizza in the same oven as the chicken, beef patties.”

Wanting more detail on the kitchen protocol, we asked: “Do you sanitize the oven between uses? Do you use a baking sheet of some type?”

Kelly replied: “The oven is cleaned and sanitized once a day. We use paper and cooking sheets to cook the product.”

The VRG then asked “Are the paper and cooking sheets changed for each product?”

Kelly responded: “They are supposed to change each time.”

VRG Recommendations

When in doubt about ingredients and you find the staff to be unable to answer your questions, request to see the food packaging. Look for an ingredients label and supplier information. Follow up directly with the supplier if store staff cannot help you.

To avoid cross contamination with animal foods when dining out, ask for a clean baking sheet for your meal and request that it be prepared separately.

TO FIND SOME VEGAN PIZZAS
See: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2018issue1/2018_issue1_vegan_pizzas.php

TO MAKE YOU OWN VEGAN PIZZA
See: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2018issue2/2018_issue2_pizza_creations.php

YOU CAN FIND VEGAN PIZZAS AT MANY AMERICAN AND CANADIAN VEGGIE RESTAURANTS
See: https://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php

We appreciate the responses from 7-11. Not all businesses are as quick to answer. 

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.

For information about other restaurant chains, see https://www.vrg.org/fastfoodinfo.php