These are some items listed as vegan on the Del Taco website:
Chips & Fresh House-made Guac
Crinkle Cut Fries
Pinto Beans
Seasoned Black Beans
Snack Taco Shell
Tortilla
Tortilla Chips

Del Taco states:
“Please be advised that there is a possibility for cross contact with allergens and animal products within Del Taco kitchens and prep areas. A vegetarian diet does not include any meat, poultry, game, fish, shellfish or by-products of animal slaughter. A vegan diet avoids animal foods such as meat, poultry, game, fish, shellfish, dairy, eggs and honey.”

“*Please be aware that our restaurants use the same frying oil to prepare menu items that could have meat in them. All vegetarian ingredients may possibly come into contact with meat ingredients, which may be unacceptable to particular kinds of vegetarian eating plans. We cannot confirm whether any of our ingredients did not come into contact with meat products. This holds true for Del Taco and/or our franchisees.”

For more info, see https://deltaco.com/files/pdf/2023/allergens-05-2023.pdf?v=1

In addition, a Vegetarian Resource Group reader wrote: “Hello! I use your website a lot when I eat at the big food chains so I wanted to contribute too now that I have a chance to. I reached out to Del Taco to confirm their cheese enzymes are not from an animal source.”

Del Taco responded: “Thank you for reaching out to Del Taco. In answer to your question about Del Taco’s cheese products, our cheese products contains microbial rennet and is not derived from an animal source.”

For more on other restaurant chains, see https://www.vrg.org/fastfoodinfo.php

For information about veggie restaurants in the USA and Canada, see 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 Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

According to the Non-GMO project, a genetically modified organism (GMO) is “a plant, animal, microorganism or other organism whose genetic makeup has been modified in a laboratory using genetic engineering or transgenic technology. This creates combinations of plant, animal, bacterial and virus genes that do not occur in nature or through traditional crossbreeding methods.” Bioengineered plants or animals have had a new gene inserted in them to give them a new trait, potentially one that is considered useful such as being resistant to a disease.  

Polls have consistently shown that consumers are in favor of using product labels to identify foods that contain genetically engineered ingredients or GMOs.

On January 1, 2022, the USDA’s rules for labeling products with GMOs went into effect. Foods can say, “contains a bioengineered ingredient” or can have a round label that says “bioengineered” or “derived from bioengineering” or can be labeled with a phone number or a QR code that consumers can use to get more information.

Consumer organizations are concerned because many consumers are not familiar with the term “bioengineered.” Also, consumers may not have smart phones or be unfamiliar with the technology for QR code access.

In addition, just because a package doesn’t have a label, there’s no guarantee that it doesn’t contain genetically modified ingredients. Products containing GMO corn, soybeans, or sugar do not have to be labeled if the levels of DNA in the final product is “not detectable.” So, for example, if high fructose corn syrup, derived from GMO corn is used in soda, and the DNA from the corn doesn’t show up because of the processing that has been done, the soda does not have to be labeled. Products made from crops containing 5% or less of genetically engineered ingredients also don’t have to be labeled. In contrast, the European Union (EU) standard is much lower (0.9%) to allow for accidental contamination. Animal products, such as milk and eggs, from animals whose feed contained GMOs do not have to be labeled.

Marion Nestle, author of Food Politics and other books, describes the new labeling rules as “useless.” Fortunately for those consumers who don’t want their food to contain GMOs, other certifications such USDA Organic and NON-GMO Project Verified are still allowed to appear on packages.

For more information see:

Food Politics blog: USDA’s GMO-labeling Rules, Such As They Are, Go Into Effect

The Washington Post: The USDA’s New Labeling for Genetically Modified Foods Goes Into Effect Jan. 1

USDA: BE Disclosure

Microbial Rennets and Fermentation Produced Chymosin: How Vegetarian Are They?

Genetically Modified Microbial Rennet: How Vegetarian Is It?

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

The VRG has recently noticed several startup companies in the food ingredient space marketing their products with an obvious appeal to vegans and vegetarians, as well as to other consumers with certain dietary restrictions, such as the lactose intolerant.

Here in Part 1 of a series, we look at the whey protein isolate manufactured by Perfect Day.

On their website, Perfect Day is clear about how they manufacture their whey. They start with a piece of a genetic code for beta-lactoglobulin (the scientific name for one form of whey). They found this genetic information available for free on a website.

The actual genetic material on which the virtual genetic code is based was initially taken from the blood of 8-year-old L1 Dominette 01449, a cow living in Montana, in 2009. Her blood was used in the Bovine Genome Project which mapped all 22,000 genes that make up the entire cow genetic signature.

Perfect Day acquired the bovine code from a free online database called UniProt (abbreviation of universal protein resource).

Then Perfect Day inserted the genetic code for beta-lactoglobulin into Trichoderma, a type of fungus. In a large fermentation tank growing on corn sugar, the microbes followed the genetic directions given to it. As a result, Trichoderma produced large amounts of whey that were later separated and purified from the fermentation broth.

The VRG wanted to know if cane sugar was ever used as the growth medium. This could be an additional concern for some vegans and vegetarians if the cane sugar had been processed through a cow bone char filter.

Through email communication in July 2021, Kathleen Nay, Public Affairs and Content Specialist at Perfect Day, informed The VRG:

“At present we use sugar derived from corn. However, our process is feedstock agnostic and can be adapted to local sugar production depending on where the fermentation takes place, to tap into or expand sugar markets. We certainly could use cane sugar if the opportunity were there.”

So far in 2021, this whey protein isolate is an ingredient in the “vegan,” “plant-based,” or “animal-free” ice cream products as marketed by these three brands:

• Nick’s
• Brave Robot
• Graeter’s

Graeter’s indicated on their website that their products contained animal-free whey and casein (another milk protein). We checked into this with Perfect Day and learned:

“At present we only supply animal-free whey protein to Graeter’s, and their on-pack ingredient labels reflect as much (the ingredient is listed as “non-animal whey protein.”)

That said, animal-free casein/caseinates are actively in development. I suspect Graeter’s team developed their FAQs based on our own, which is why theirs mentions casein as well. It’s certainly worth flagging to them – I will pass your note on to our relevant team members here who can touch base with Graeter’s to clarify their website.”

According to Perfect Day’s website, their whey is functionally, genetically, and nutritionally equivalent to the whey in cow’s milk. Consequently, it provides the same texture and taste in foods and beverages as cow’s milk whey. Perfect Day hopes to sell its product to other food companies that will use it in their whey-containing items including soups, sauces, shakes, and snacks.

Since whey is a dairy allergen, federal law requires that it be flagged as such on food labels. The words “Contains milk or milk ingredients” are commonly seen on labels if dairy whey is present.

In the case of Perfect Day’s whey, its presence is indicated on labels by the words “Contains milk protein” or “Contains milk allergen.” It has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Is whey from Perfect Day “animal-free”?

The VRG recognizes Perfect Day’s good intentions to move away from a reliance on conventional dairy cows as the source of its whey. We acknowledge the results of a recent lifecycle assessment that quantified how many fewer greenhouse gas emissions are created from its whey production versus those released from raising live cows for milk.

However, on the question of whether their whey is “animal-free,” my personal view is that it wouldn’t be.

The genetic blueprint for the whey is first and foremost bovine. This means there is an animal product (an animal gene) directing the entire process. This is so even if a copy of the bovine gene was used rather than the actual gene isolated from Dominette’s blood. In other words, an animal product is involved in the whey’s manufacture as its initiator.

It is true that the copy of the bovine gene that orchestrated the manufacture does not become incorporated into the whey. Nor is it consumed by the process since the gene is still an integral part of the genetic makeup of Trichoderma fungiwhich are later separated from the whey product. And obviously since genes are so tiny (but are so powerful in their action), only a small amount was needed.

In all these ways, the copy of the bovine gene loosely sounds like a processing aid. From an FDA document on exemptions to labeling, processing aids are thus partly defined:

“…Substances that are added to a food during the processing of such food but are removed in some manner from the food before it is packaged in its finished form.”

Viewing the genetic code as a processing aid in this way, Perfect Day would be exempt from having to label their whey as animal gene-derived.

While it’s true that on its website the company describes its process as starting from animal genes, the phrase animal gene-derived is not specifically used there nor on the ice cream labels of brands (noted above) using its whey. This term is needed so consumers will know beyond a doubt what they are purchasing.

Many vegetarians and vegans do not buy or consume products manufactured with any animal-derived processing aids or carriers even if the food or beverage is otherwise vegan or vegetarian. Animal rennet in cheese making is the prime example. Another is gelatin in fruit drinks or butter/margarine.

They may not want to use Perfect Day’s whey based on similar reasoning. These individuals may not see this whey as “non-animal” or “animal-free.”

If this whey were added to “plant-based” products or items labeled as “vegan” or “vegetarian,” as it already is (see Nick’s ice cream brand above), it could lead to confusion and discontent. It would make some people feel misled, as if products intended for vegetarians and vegans were now covertly tainted with an animal ingredient. In this case, it’s a microscopic gene inserted into fungi responsible for the very existence of the ingredient.

With more animal gene-derived ingredients under development, such as casein (milk protein) and milk fat in the case of Perfect Day, and other animal gene-derived ingredients from other startups that The Vegetarian Resource Group will feature in upcoming blog posts, vegans and vegetarians are advised to seek more information from companies claiming their ingredients or products are “animal-free” or “non-animal.” Find out if the genes are animal-derived or not.

(Under current circumstances) I predict that companies will eventually drop these terms entirely and just call their originally animal- or dairy-derived product “vegan.” If they do, they’ve supplanted the term vegan and redefined it.

“Animal gene-derived” recommendation for labeling

The VRG recommends that all food and beverage companies be clear about the source(s) of all their ingredients on their product labels, websites, and promotional materials. This recommendation applies also in cases where the only animal ingredient was an animal’s gene used to direct its manufacture.

It is only when companies are totally informative about how their ingredients were made will vegetarians and vegans, as well as others with special dietary preferences, be able to purchase and consume foods and beverages with total confidence about what they’re getting.

Stay tuned to this blog for more posts on other startups producing “animal-free” or “non-animal” ingredients.

NOTE FROM THE BLOG EDITOR: Vegetarians and vegans will have different viewpoints on these issues. The Food and Drug Administration and the United States Department of Agriculture have been asking for testimony for the development of labeling standards re foods from cultured animal cells. With clear labeling, consumers will be able to make their own decisions.

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

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

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 from a reader about Papa John’s pizza. He asked: Do the Papa John’s pizza doughs…contain any animal products? There is some confusion about their source of “whey protein concentrate”?

We responded in part with information from a VRG article on rennet.

“Approximately 90-95% of the rennet used to curdle milk into cheese remains in the whey.”

We also told our reader that most rennet used commercially in the USA is microbial, not animal-derived. Long ago, genetic material was isolated from rennet taken from a calf’s stomach and inserted into microbial genetic material to produce “microbial rennet.” It may also be called “vegetarian rennet” on some labels.

Isolating rennet from a calf’s stomach is NOT done for each batch of “microbial” enzyme today.

There may be some “microbial rennet” made differently, where no calf gene was ever used, even at the very start of the microbial line, decades ago. In this case, ALL genetic transfer occurs between microbes.

But this method is uncommon. It’s not the way that the majority of rennet is manufactured on a commercial basis. Companies may not be willing to find out definitively which way was used if you inquired. Or, they may say “it’s proprietary.” More often than not, they’ll just say “microbial rennet” and leave it at that.

To answer the reader’s first question, The Vegetarian Resource Group turned to Papa John’s for an update. Unlike many restaurant chains, Papa John’s lists a direct link to its pizza ingredients on the bottom of its homepage:

In February 2020, we first sent in our questions through their website, and then called their customer service line. After a few inquiries, we were told:

“The 2-cheese blend, made of Parmesan and Romano cheeses, is made with animal rennet. The mozzarella cheese is made with microbial enzymes. The 3-cheese blend, consisting of Asiago, fontina and provolone cheeses, is made with animal rennet.”

We then asked about the natural flavors in the two types of pizza doughs listed on their website.

Here is an answer from their email with the subject line: “Rennet in Cheese, Animal Enzymes, Vegan Concerns.”

“Our nutritional, allergen and general ingredient information can be found on these pages:
http://www.papajohns.com/company/nutrition-allergen-information.html
http://www.papajohns.com/allergens/papa-johns-allergen-guide.html

The majority of our products contain biosynthesized and/or vegetable-derived enzymes, including our mozzarella cheese. Our mozzarella cheese contains no animal-derived enzymes. The enzyme used is from a microbial source. However, our two- and three-cheese blends do contain animal derived enzymes. There are no animal products in our original crust, pizza sauce, or pizza cheese (other than milk).

Our pizza dough contains fungal or bacterial derivatives.

Our garlic sauce contains lactic acid, which is not classified as an animal derivative because it has been fermented.

Blue cheese and ranch [dressings] do contain animal-derived rennet.

The rennet that is used in the Papa John’s Parmesan cheese is a GMO-free microbial rennet. It is not animal-derived. It would be suitable for vegetarian consumption.”

The Vegetarian Resource Group asked if the “fungal or bacterial derivatives” in the pizza dough, since they are not listed on the website’s ingredient statement, could be the natural flavors.

We also asked about the microbial rennet in the Parmesan cheese. Since we were told the cheese blend with Parmesan had been made with animal rennet, we wanted clarification on this point. We don’t have an answer to this question yet.

Based on a careful look at the Allergen Guide, which lists all menu items, and the information from the email that Papa John’s sent to us, (see above), The VRG believes that the Parmesan cheese containing the microbial rennet is in the Parmesan cheese packet and/or the cheese dipping sauce. (NOTE: We have not received confirmation from Papa John’s on this point.)

After a closer analysis of the pizza crust ingredients listed on the Papa John’s website and the email that Papa John’s sent (see above), it appears that the natural flavors are “fungal or bacterial derivatives.” They are not specifically listed as such, but by a process of elimination, The VRG concludes that the natural flavors are most likely microbial derivatives, and, therefore, not animal-derived. (NOTE: We have not received confirmation from Papa John’s on this point.)

Papa John’s Pizza Crusts

According to the Allergen Guide on Papa John’s site, along with information from the email we received (reprinted above), as well considering what we had discovered a few years ago, it appears that:

• Original Hand-Tossed dough is vegan.
• Thin Crust dough contains milk ingredients (whey).
• Gluten-Free dough contains milk and egg ingredients (whey and egg whites).

The VRG encourages readers who have questions not answered here to contact Papa John’s 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. Everyone does the best they can, so don’t be judgmental or critical of yourself or others.

Information on other quick service chains is at  https://www.vrg.org/fastfoodinfo.php

Information on vegetarian restaurants in the USA and Canada is at  https://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php

Especially during these times, check the restaurant website or Facebook account to see if they are open or delivering. Restaurants are obviously having a very hard time, and they will greatly
appreciate your support.

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

By Jeanne Yacoubou, MS
With over 15 locations in Virginia, Washington, DC, and Maryland, Perfect Pita is a family-owned business founded in 1994. Today Perfect Pita also operates Perfect Daughter®, a catering service run by the founder’s daughter. Viewers may learn more about the family business through the video on the site’s About Us page: http://theperfectpita.com/about/

Perfect Pita restaurants and catering company offer a Mediterranean-American cuisine. For locations, visit: http://theperfectpita.com/locations/

Perfect Pita’s menu http://theperfectpita.com/menu/ has a special vegan section including:
•white bean salad
•shepherd salad
•tabouli
•stuffed grape leaves
•falafel
•navy bean soup
•hummus

Between August and November 2017 The VRG spoke and communicated by email with Rosario Castro and Fatih Altun at Perfect Pita about their menu. Here are excerpts from the exchange.

VRG: Does your pita bread contain milk or dairy ingredients such as whey?
Perfect Pita: Our pitas don’t contain any milk nor whey.

VRG: Is the Hummus Sandwich all-vegetable?
Perfect Pita: Our Hummus Sandwich is vegan.

VRG: Is the tzatziki sauce made with yogurt?
Perfect Pita: Our tzatziki sauce is made with sour cream, not yogurt.

VRG: Is the Falafel Pita all-vegetable without the tzatziki sauce?
Perfect Pita: Yes, it is vegan without the tzatziki.

VRG: Do you make the hummus in your restaurants starting with dry beans?
Perfect Pita: We do make our hummus starting with dry beans.

VRG: Are all hummus varieties all-vegetable? Do any varieties contain cheese?
Perfect Pita: All our hummus (all flavors) is vegan (no meat, no dairy).

VRG: Is the falafel all-vegetable?
Perfect Pita: Our falafel is vegetarian and it can also be vegan since our tzatziki sauce comes on the side and you don’t have to necessarily get it. Tzatziki can also be substituted by our vegan hummus.

VRG: Has the falafel been fried in fresh oil? Which kind?
Perfect Pita: We use canola oil.

VRG: Is anything else prepared in the oil used to cook the falafel? If so, what?
Perfect Pita: No, just falafel.

VRG: Is the tabouli all-vegetable?
Perfect Pita: Tabouli is vegan.

VRG: Is the white bean salad all-vegetable?
Perfect Pita: The white bean salad is vegan.

VRG: Is the navy bean soup all-vegetable?
Perfect Pita: The navy bean soup is vegan.

VRG: What are the grape leaves stuffed with?
Perfect Pita: Our grape leaves are stuffed with rice.

VRG: Has the rice in the grape leaves been seasoned with animal flavors or cooked in animal broth?
Perfect Pita: No. The rice in the grape leaves are not flavored with any kind of animal flavor nor animal broth.

VRG: Do you have any salad dressing which is all-vegetable and made without honey?
Perfect Pita: Our homemade red wine vinaigrette doesn’t contain any honey or animal product.

VRG: Has the red wine in the red wine vinaigrette been clarified with an animal ingredient such as albumen or gelatin?
Perfect Pita: We don’t clarify it with gelatin.

VRG: Does the red wine vinaigrette contain sugar?
Perfect Pita: No sugar is added.

VRG: Do the vegetable components of your menu come into contact with dairy products or meat/fish?
Perfect Pita: We do allergen separation and our veggies don’t come into contact with any meat/fish or dairy.
Perfect Pizzas:
VRG: Are the crusts all-vegetable?
Perfect Pita: Pizza crust is vegetarian.

VRG: Is there L-cysteine in the crust?
Perfect Pita: There is no L-cysteine in our crust.

VRG: Is there sugar in the crust?
Perfect Pita: Yes. We do add sugar to our pizza dough.

VRG: Are there any animal-derived ingredients in the red sauce?
Perfect Pita: No.

VRG: What is in the “spinach mix” pizza topping?
Perfect Pita: The spinach mix is cooked spinach mixed with feta cheese and onions.

VRG: Does your feta cheese contain animal rennet?
Perfect Pita: Our feta cheese contains vegetable-based microbial rennet.

VRG: Does the feta cheese contain animal lipase?
Perfect Pita: It contains animal-based lipase from goat.

VRG: Are your mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses made with animal-derived enzymes?
Perfect Pita: Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses [are made with] cow’s whole milk and animal-derived enzyme.

Perfect Pita® Bagel and Pita Bread Are Vegan
Perfect Pita’s Bagel
L-cysteine
Rosario Castro of Perfect Pita told us in August 2017 that L-cysteine served as a dough conditioner in their bagel. We wanted to know its source and contacted her supplier, Soft Stuff Distributors® http://www.gosoftstuff.com/ who in turn asked us to contact the bagel manufacturer, Always Bagels®.

Anthony Pariti of Always Bagels wrote to us in September 2017 that “the cysteine is sourced from vegetable fermentation.” When we asked for more explanation, he in turn directed us to speak with the R&D department of his supplier, Puratos®, who sells the dough conditioner that he uses to make the bagels. After speaking with Puratos we confirmed that Perfect Pita’s bagels are made with microbially-derived L-cysteine manufactured by Wacker®.] https://www.wacker.com/cms/en/products/product_groups/cystein.jsp

SUGAR
Always Bagels: There is no bone char in the filtration. It comes to us white and again the process they described to me is the white color happens during the filtration of the sugar at their facility.

The sugar supplier emailed us a letter from Mark Rudolph, the Quality Assurance and Quality Control Manager at Sweeteners Plus® dated February 2017 regarding “Bone char use in the production of refined sugar /vegan statement”: “Although natural charcoal, or bone char, is sometimes employed as a filter media in the production of refined cane sugar, Sweeteners Plus is not currently sourcing bulk Granulated Sugar manufactured using bone char.

Currently all sugar products, organic and conventional, sold under the Sweeteners Plus label including bulk Liquid Sugars and bulk and packaged Granulated Sugar are manufactured without the use of bone char from sugar beets or sugar cane, neither of which is derived from an animal source.

Our Lakeville, NY facility is certified Kosher, Halal suitable, and uses no additives that contain animal sources.”

Perfect Pita Pita Bread
The VRG learned from Rosario at Perfect Pita that there is no L-cysteine in their pita bread which they make in their restaurants starting from dry flour. She also furnished to us a no-cow bone char vegan declaration from their sugar supplier. There are no dairy ingredients in the pita bread at Perfect Pita.

For more information on Perfect Pita catering: http://theperfectpita.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/New-Catering-Menu-May.pdf

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 more chain restaurant information, see http://www.vrg.org/fastfoodinfo.php

For information on vegetarian and vegan restaurants, see VRG Online Veggie Restaurant Guide

By Jeanne Yacoubou, MS

In 2006, three Greek childhood friends opened full-service Cava Mezze http://www.cavamezze.com/ in their Rockville, MD hometown followed by other locations in Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia. The restaurants featured small plate (mezze) Greek dining.

As a spin-off on Cava Mezze, the founders launched in 2011 Cava Grill http://cava.com/, a fast-casual, Greek- and Mediterranean-inspired restaurant chain with locations in the Delaware/Maryland/Virginia region. Since then DC-based Cava has expanded to the New York City area and California with plans to open locations in North Carolina, Texas, and Massachusetts by 2018. As of December 2017, there are approximately forty Cava Grill locations in the United States according to their website: http://cava.com/locations

Since late 2008, Cava’s dips & spreads are sold at specialty markets nationwide: http://cava.com/products/where-to-buy

The VRG corresponded by email with Megan Vlasho, Customer Experience Manager, and Zach Korte, Food Safety Quality Engineer at Cava Grill, to find out more about its vegan menu items. Here is what we learned between July to November 2017. Our questions are arranged by Cava’s menu item categories as they appear on the chain’s website.

Base:
The VRG: Does your pita or mini-pita contain milk, whey, or any dairy ingredient?
Cava: No, none of our pitas contain dairy.

The VRG: Does your pita or mini-pita contain sugar?
Cava: They contain sugar.

The VRG: Do you use organic sugar in your pita breads making them from scratch? If you use a premix or premade dough, do you know if the sugar in the pita is non-cow bone char processed?
Cava: We get our pita bread from a third party, so I’ll have to ask them about their sugar.

Zach wrote: I’ve been in contact with our pita supplier. They state that they are 100% vegetarian, and they are halal-certified, which ensures no animal products are present in the final product. Their suppliers, including sugar, are confidential, so they could not share the information about bone char processing.

The VRG: Is L-cysteine used as a dough conditioner in your pita or mini-pita?
Cava: Our supplier … (said) In the past it was made from sugar beets; however this has recently changed and they are now using the ingredient which is made from feathers.

The VRG: Do you use meat stock or broths to cook the rice?
Cava: Vegetable broth.

Dips + Spreads:
The VRG: Do you make your hummus starting from dry garbanzo beans?
Cava: We use canned chickpeas in our hummus.

The VRG: Is the hummus all-vegetable?
Cava: We have a number of hummus options.
[VRG Note: Complete hummus ingredient information is presented by clicking on entries shown here: http://cava.com/products.]

The VRG: Does the roasted red pepper hummus contain cheese?
Cava: No.

The VRG: Does the harissa sauce contain mayonnaise or any dairy?
Cava: No.
[VRG Note: Cava’s other menu offerings in this category: Tzatziki Sauce, Eggplant & Red Pepper Dip, and Crazy Feta contain dairy.]

The VRG: Is your feta cheese made with animal rennet?
Cava: I spoke with our feta supplier and they use vegetarian microbial rennet.

The VRG: Does your feta cheese contain animal lipase?
Cava: [It contains] an animal-based lipase.

The VRG: Does your feta cheese contain any other animal-derived enzymes?
Cava: [The lipase is] the only animal-derived enzyme in the product.

The VRG: Does the yogurt in your Tzatziki Sauce and the Eggplant & Red Pepper Dip contain any animal-derived enzymes or cultures?
Cava: The yogurt in our dips & spreads is manufactured using non-animal enzymes and cultures.

Protein:
The VRG: Is the falafel all-vegetable? Is it prepared away from all meats?
Cava: Our beef meatballs, lamb meatballs, and falafel are prepared using the same prep equipment (bowls) but they are thoroughly washed and sanitized between their use with different recipes.

The VRG: Is the falafel fried in fresh oil? If so, which type of oil?
Cava: The falafel is fried in canola oil, which is changed on a regular basis and only used to fry our falafel, pita chips, and pita crisps toppings.

The VRG: Are the pita chips made from the pita bread?
Cava: Yes.

The VRG: Are the roasted vegetables prepared in animal fats or in contact with meats during storage and/or preparation?
Cava: No.

Toppings:
The VRG: Are the pickled onions and/or pickled banana peppers made with vinaigrette?
Cava: No, but our pickled onions do contain sugar.

The VRG: Does the cabbage slaw contain vinaigrette?
Cava: No. It uses olive oil and lemon juice.

The VRG: Are the tomato + cucumber and the tomato + onion salads all-vegetable?
Cava: Yes.

The VRG: Is the Cauliflower Quinoa Tabbouleh all-vegetable?
Cava: Yes, with the addition of olive oil, herbs, and seasoning.

The VRG: Is the White Bean Salad all-vegetable?
Cava: Yes, with the addition of olive oil, herbs, and seasoning.

Dressings:
The VRG: Are the following dressings all-vegetable?
•Apricot Dill
•Greek Vinaigrette
•Lemon Herb Tahini
•Green Harissa
Cava: Yes.

The VRG: Do they contain added sugar?
Cava: Yes to all but our Summer Spicy Apricot contains agave.

Later we asked for a sugar update:
The VRG: Has Cava begun using 100% USDA Organic sugar that is never filtered through cow bone char?
Cava: We switched to organic sugar, which does not use bone char, about a month ago.
[VRG Note: We received this reply on October 10, 2017.]

The VRG: Looking again at your allergen page and menu, I noticed “mezze” on the allergen page (in the “base + extras” table) but did not see it on your menu. What specifically is “mezze” and how is it vegetarian?
Cava: “Mezze” on our menu refers to your choice of three dips + pita chips, which are all vegetarian. Ingredient specifications for each of our dips can be found on our Allergens page.

Cava offers some seasonal menu items. Viewing its Fall 2017 menu, The VRG asked the following about fall menu offerings.

The VRG: Are the following all-vegetable?
•Greek Minestrone Soup with Harissa
•Juices: Apple Cinnamon Sage, Cucumber Mint, Blackberry Orange Shrub, Rosemary Limeade
•Seasonal Roasted Vegetables
•Carrots & Currants topping
•Yellow Pepper Tahini dressing
Cava: Yes, all those menu items contain only vegetables/vegetarian ingredients.

The VRG: Do the fall menu items listed in the previous question contain sugar?
Cava: The rosemary limeade contains organic cane sugar. The shrub and cucumber mint juices contain agave.

The VRG: Do any of your menu items contain honey?
Cava: None of our menu items contain honey.

Interested readers may find out more about Cava Grill:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/meggentaylor/2016/07/13/is-cava-grill-the-next-shake-shack-for-fast-casual-mediterranean-inspired-cuisine/#5081a21366de

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

With over 20 locations mostly in Colorado but also in Texas, Virginia, Georgia, and Minnesota, Garbanzo offers several Mediterranean-inspired vegan menu options. See: http://www.eatgarbanzo.com/menu/

The Vegetarian Resource Group first spoke with Joe Chum, Director of Support Services at Garbanzo, in May 2017. We noted a few changes in their website soon after and followed up with Joe between June and October 2017.

Based on our multiple phone discussions and emails, we generated the following list of Garbanzo’s vegan menu options (excluding raw vegetables) according to the website menu scrolling from top to bottom:

Vegan Menu Options at Garbanzo
•pita bread* (white, wheat, gluten-free)
•tortilla* (white)
•falafel
•portobello mushrooms
•original hummus
•seasonal hummus
•tabbouleh salad
•tomato cucumber salad
•seasoned rice
•baba ganoush
•cilantro sauce
•red chili sauce
•Greek vinaigrette*
•tahini sauce
•homemade fries
•homemade chips
*Item contains sugar although information received from this chain differed during the months The VRG was conducting research. In the list above, the latest information obtained during October 2017 is presented. See Q&A below for more information.

According to page 5 of Garbanzo’s allergen sheet the Mediterranean garlic sauce contains egg (mayonnaise) and the Tzatziki sauce contains milk (yogurt). See:
http://www.eatgarbanzo.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/16-2300506_garbanzo_allergen_sheet_04-2016.pdf

In May 2017, Joe told us:
•“The pita bread does not contain milk.”
•“The seasoned rice used to contain chicken broth but it no longer does.”
•“There is no L-cysteine in the pita bread.” (L-cysteine is a dough conditioner that is most often derived from poultry feathers although microbial alternatives exist).
•“The flatbread contains dry milk.”
•“The portobello mushrooms are prepared in their own sauté pan away from meat products.”

Garbanzo’s Grab & Go Menu
Also in May 2017, Joe informed us that the Vegetarian Wrap on the Grab & Go menu (see their allergen sheet given above) “is usually made with the white or whole wheat tortilla and anything can go in it,” stated Joe. [VRG Note: In October 2017, Joe told us that Garbanzo offers only white tortillas.]

Also on the Grab & Go menu are
•Hummus & Veggie Snack Pack
•Greek Vegetarian Salad
[VRG Note: In September 2017, Joe told us this about the Greek Vegetarian Salad: “We no longer offer this item. It was just salad with Greek Vinaigrette dressing.”]

The VRG: Which bread is used for the Mediterranean Wrap?
Garbanzo: Usually tortilla bread is used.

The VRG: Is the flatbread ever used for the Mediterranean Wrap?
Garbanzo: Usually tortilla bread but if the locations use flat bread, sugar is in the flat bread.

The VRG: Are white or whole wheat tortillas available to make the Mediterranean burrito?
Garbanzo: Yes, but it depends on location. In general, only white is available.

Microingredient Questions for Garbanzo
The VRG: Is there any added sugar in the Greek vinaigrette (including sugar in its components)?
Garbanzo: There is sugar in the Greek vinaigrette.

The VRG: Is there any dairy including whey, casein, etc. in the Greek vinaigrette?
Garbanzo: There is no dairy in the Greek vinaigrette.

The VRG: Is there any added sugar in the baklava (including sugar in its components)?
Garbanzo: There is no sugar in the baklava but there is honey.

The VRG: Is there any dairy including whey, casein, etc. in the baklava?
Garbanzo: Yes, there is dairy in the baklava.

The VRG: Is there any added sugar in the tortillas?
Garbanzo: No.

The VRG: Is L-cysteine used as a dough conditioner in the tortillas?
Garbanzo: No.

The VRG: Does the seasonal hummus vary from time to time?
Garbanzo: Yes.

The VRG: If so, could there be dairy such as feta cheese in the seasonal hummus?
Garbanzo: There’s no plan to use feta cheese in our seasonal hummus at the moment. We are very careful on adding dairy to any of our menu items.

The VRG: Does your feta cheese contain rennet, an animal-derived enzyme? If not, what is its enzyme source?
Garbanzo: From our supplier (manufacturer): “Microbial enzymes and an animal lipase are used in the manufacturing of the [feta cheese].”

The VRG: Could there ever be animal ingredients or flavors in the seasonal hummus?
Garbanzo: No. We try to maintain most of our items to be gluten-free or vegan or at least vegetarian.

The VRG: You stated that there was no milk in the pita. Is there whey or any other dairy ingredient?
Garbanzo: There is no dairy in the pita.

The VRG: Is there added sugar in the pita?
Garbanzo: Yes. There has to be sugar to feed the yeast.

The VRG: Is the falafel deep fried in fresh oil away from all meats?
Garbanzo: Yes. We don’t use the fryers for any meat or animal products.

The VRG: Is the baba ganoush an all-vegetable dish?
Garbanzo: Yes, it has only roast eggplant purée, tahini, garlic, and salt.

The VRG: Is your sugar from sugar cane, beet sugar or some combination? [Note: Non-USDA Certified Organic cane sugar may have been processed through cow bone char.]
Garbanzo: Our sugar is from beet.

We followed up in June-October 2017 with these questions and emails.

The VRG: Are the gluten-free pita and the gyro pita all-vegan? No L-cysteine, whey, honey or other animal-derived ingredients in either of them?
Garbanzo: Gyro is not; pita is vegan.

The VRG: Is it true that you now offer the following breads:
•pita
•gluten-free pita
•gyro bread
•flatbread (some locations)
•tortilla (white, whole wheat)
Garbanzo:
•pita Yes
•gluten-free pita Yes
•gyro bread Same as Flatbread below
•flatbread (some locations) Correct
•tortilla (white, whole wheat) White only

The VRG: Which, if any, contains dairy including whey, casein or their derivatives?
Garbanzo: Flatbread

The VRG: Which, if any, contains sugar?
Garbanzo: They all have sugar.

The VRG recommends contacting this chain directly if diners have any additional questions for further clarification. Note that ingredients at all restaurants can change over time and there may be conflicts with what is on the website.

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 judgement about whether a product is suitable for you. To be sure, do further research or confirmation on your own.

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

For information on vegetarian and vegan restaurants throughout the USA and Canada, see:
http://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php

By Jeanne Yacoubou, MS

An email forwarded to The VRG in August 2017 from online reader Ben had been delivered to his inbox from a “Nutrition Analyst” at Papa John’s in response to his Papa John’s online inquiry.

This is how Ben introduced the following Papa John’s information to us:

“I am a lacto-ovo vegetarian who has frequently visited your site, reading about information such as disambiguated food ingredients and specific food content from name-brand restaurants. I wish to donate information in the hopes of helping to update such regarding the Papa John’s pizza chain.”

Here in its entirety is the forwarded email from Papa John’s addressed to Ben in response to his “…inquiring whether or not their Garlic Parmesan Breadsticks were vegetarian (lacto-ovo).” Papa John’s responded to Ben within 12 hours of his inquiry.

Papa John’s email:

“The majority of our products contain bio-synthesized and/or vegetable-derived enzymes, including our mozzarella cheese.

However, the cheese blend used on our Tuscan Six Cheese Pizza does contain animal-derived enzymes.

Our pizza dough contains fungal or bacterial derivatives.

Our garlic sauce contains lactic acid, which is not classified as an animal derivative because it has been fermented.

Blue cheese and ranch DO contain animal-derived rennet.

The rennet that is used in the Papa John’s Parmesan cheese is a GMO-free microbial rennet. It is not animal-derived. It would be suitable for vegetarian consumption.”

The VRG appreciates Ben taking the time to forward this email.

It appears from the website that the breadsticks are made with pizza dough that does not contain L-cysteine (most often derived from poultry feathers). L-cysteine is not listed on the website menu nor on the allergen page.
http://www.papajohns.com/company/papa-johns-ingredients.html#pizza

http://www.papajohns.com/allergens/papa-johns-allergen-guide.html

Unlike many restaurant chains, Papa John’s includes “vegetable” as the source for their mono- and diglycerides in the ingredients list for the Garlic Parmesan Sauce. However, this chain does not specify if the “natural flavors” in this sauce are vegetable-derived. (They may or may not be.)

There is sugar in menu components which appear otherwise vegan (the original and pan doughs and the pizza and pan sauces but not the Garlic Parmesan Sauce).

Concerned readers may wish to contact Papa John’s for more information on whether the natural flavors are vegetable-derived and if the sugar had been processed using cow bone char.

See our previous reports on cheese enzymes and sugar for more information:
http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2008issue3/2008_issue3_update_renet.php

http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2007issue4/2007_issue4_sugar.php

Here are a couple of our past reports on Papa John’s:

http://www.vrg.org/blog/2014/03/12/update-on-papa-johns-vegetarian-and-vegan-menu-options/

http://www.vrg.org/blog/2014/04/07/papa-johns-dough-enzyme-stearic-acid-and-cookie-ingredients-are-vegetarian/

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 additional information about quick service chains, see:
http://www.vrg.org/fastfoodinfo.php

For information about vegetarian and vegan restaurants and where you might be able to order vegan pizza, see:
http://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php