Lactic acid / veganism

sweet-rasmus

Was just wandering about wikipedia when I saw this about lactic acid:

Although it can be fermented from lactose (milk sugar), most commercially used lactic acid is derived by using bacteria such as Bacillus acidilacti, Lactobacillus delbueckii or Lactobacillus bulgaricus to ferment carbohydrates from nondairy sources such as cornstarch, potatoes and molasses. Thus, although it is commonly known as "milk acid", vegan products can contain lactic acid as an ingredient.

[Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactic_acid ]

I never really knew what the non-dairy sources were. I have seen it listed in an ingredients list many a time and just presumed it was a no go. Especially (I think) with the current Jelly tots packaging. I wish manufacturers would start listing their lactic acid source!! Wishful thinking...

Peanut

It's amazing what bacteria can be made to produce.

I was reading today about a shortage of star anise in 2005 due to the drug company Roche using a constituent of it as a raw material for an anti-flu drug.

However they managed to make e.coli produce more of the substance that they needed from the anise, so they could stop importing as much of the spice.

slap/dash

interesting. i wonder if that refers to the us. i would imagine in ireland where everyone guzzles milk that the source would be dairy

rubadub

Do manufacturers have to list every single ingredient? I would have thought if it made up, say, 0.01% they would not have to list it or something. Also many list things without the full ingredients, like "spices". I checked a tin of Heinz beans there and it says "suitable for vegetarians", so I would actually presume it is not suitable for vegans, otherwise I would expect they would be shouting about it as a marketing point, if they think saying vegetarian is a good selling point. Whereas a tin of beans that did not say suitable for vegetarians would have me thinking it might be suitable for vegans & vegetarians. It is like beer, some will list only barley, hops, water, but beer makers do not have to list any ingredients by law. The ones that really only use those ingredients will usually list that it is brewed to the reinheitsgebot (the German purity laws)

Perhaps the plastic lining on the tin has traces of animal products or something?

Tar.Aldarion

If it says suitable for vegetarians it could be easily vegan or not vegan, have to check. I think because vegetarian is a more used/familiar term they use that, dunno. I'm not sure how many companies would note the detail that finely, the plastics etc.