Mi Wadi Tropical: Not veggie friendly!

Ms. Koi

Hey!

I'm only after noticing that Mi Wadi tropical isn't vegetarian. I can't see anything on the ingredients list that isn't veggie, but it says on the bottle that it isn't.

I've emailed them asking why. Will let you know when I hear back!

kellie

sweet-rasmus

It's the isinglass. It stabilises the beta carotene colour and it is never on the ingredients. Same in Lilt. And plain orange MiWadi. Fanta used to be the same but they changed earlier this year

I'm glad their packaging says it's not suitable. Most products don't make the effort! And it's good that you are mailing them. They need to be reminded that some people aren't happy with it and perhaps it's time for a change in ingredients!

Ms. Koi

That's what I though! Feckers!

Breezer

sweet-rasmus wrote: »

I'm glad their packaging says it's not suitable. Most products don't make the effort!

Someone in Guinness (I'll find the quote) specifically stated a while back that although isinglass is used in its manufacturing, the final product doesn't contain any non-vegetarian ingredients, therefore in her view it's perfectly suitable for vegetarians and no information to the contrary will be going on the packaging :rolleyes:

Edit: Here we go:

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/10/29/1098992287581.html wrote:

"According to our product team, isinglass is the only fining agent we can use. It has been approved for use in the UK," a spokeswoman for Guinness said. "There should be no residue in the finished beer so as far as I'm concerned it is suitable for vegetarians."

At least Mi Wadi (or whatever company makes it) is being honest here, although it'd be nicer if it didn't use isinglass in the first place!

Not that I'd drink it anyway, it reminds me of Delphi in primary school when we were given it morning noon and night for a week straight!

Ms. Koi

I've heard that line before. I still wouldn't drink it. It's useless. I don't understand the need for it.

Also, does anyone know a good veggie substitute for parmesan?

Absurdum

kellief wrote: »

Also, does anyone know a good veggie substitute for parmesan?

http://www.veggiestuff.com/acatalog/dairy_free_cheese_parmazano.html

you can get it in most health food stores for around €1.99 a go, there is a cheddar one available too but I've never seen it in Ireland.

Absurdum

Also, O'Hara's Irish Stout by the Carlow Brewing Co doesn't use isinglass so it's good for veggies, all their beers are veggie and taste much better than the mainstream stouts and ales.

sweet-rasmus

kellief wrote: »

Also, does anyone know a good veggie substitute for parmesan?

Blazing Salads also sell a cheese which is like parmesan but it's a vegetarian version instead. I was chatting about it with them at the counter last time I was in (we were ranting about the whole thing where most restaurants add parmesan to the veggie meal).

entropi

Absurdum wrote: »

Also, O'Hara's Irish Stout by the Carlow Brewing Co doesn't use isinglass so it's good for veggies, all their beers are veggie and taste much better than the mainstream stouts and ales.

I must try this! Might be easier to find back down in Carlow though

Elmidena

I'm not a cheese eater, but out of curiosity what's in parmasan to make it unveggie friendly, rennet or something?

Breezer

Sunshine! wrote: »

I'm not a cheese eater, but out of curiosity what's in parmasan to make it unveggie friendly, rennet or something?

Yep, rennet.

PurpleFistMixer

sweet-rasmus wrote: »

(we were ranting about the whole thing where most restaurants add parmesan to the veggie meal).

I get veggie dinners in college and they love putting parmesan on things. >:| It smells so horrible, I don't understand why anyone would want to eat it.

Ms. Koi

Update from Britvic:


Thank your for your e-mail.

I can confirm that the MiWadi Double Concentrate Tropical flavour is not suitable for vegetarians due to flavouring in the product. Unfortunately we can not give any further information on this as it is commercially sensitive.

I can also confirm that this flavouring can only be found in the MiWadi Tropical Double Concentrate.

I hope this information is useful to you.

Kind regards

Kirsty McHugh
Britvic Consumer Care Advisor
0800 032 1767 (UK)
1800 696 127 (ROI)
www.britvic.com

Customer () - 17/06/2011 06.58 PM
Hello

Mi-Wadi Double Concentrate Tropical Flavour was brought into our house recently. Having looked through and checking the ingredients, which all appear to be vegetarian, it says on your bottle that the drink is not suitable for vegetarians.
I would appreciate it if you could explain this?
It also does not say that it is not suitable for vegetarians on the webpage.


I can't seem to insert the product code correctly in the boxes above so I have included what is on the bottle here:
31 DEC 11 D6
L11097 14:12
I did try to call your Helpline, but it has told me the service is unavailable for my region.
Thank you.

kraggy

Absurdum wrote: »

Also, O'Hara's Irish Stout by the Carlow Brewing Co doesn't use isinglass so it's good for veggies, all their beers are veggie and taste much better than the mainstream stouts and ales.

NO!

I rang them recently and initially they said that their stout is suitable for vegetarians.

However, I pressed them on it (the lady who answered the phone went out to speak to the master brewer) and it turns out that they do use isinglass.

They considered it vegetarian but not vegan :rolleyes:

O'Hara's Stout is NOT SUITABLE for vegetarians.

Absurdum

kraggy wrote: »

NO!

I rang them recently and initially they said that their stout is suitable for vegetarians.

However, I pressed them on it (the lady who answered the phone went out to speak to the master brewer) and it turns out that they do use isinglass.

They considered it vegetarian but not vegan :rolleyes:

O'Hara's Stout is NOT SUITABLE for vegetarians.

That is a shame, it was nice

I had emailed them ages ago following a post in this forum but got no reply, I was basing my post on this:

http://www.vegetarian.ie/bee.htm

from 1999. Guess it needs updating :-/

sweet-rasmus

Absurdum wrote: »

That is a shame, it was nice

I had emailed them ages ago following a post in this forum but got no reply, I was basing my post on this:

http://www.vegetarian.ie/bee.htm

from 1999. Guess it needs updating :-/

I'd flagged that about O'Hara's to the webmaster of vegetarian.ie months ago (after reading about it here) but unfortunately it wasn't taken down. The suitability list is indeed dated and the new version of the vegetarian.ie website doesn't link to it.

molly09

what is "isinglass"?


thanks

Ms. Koi

molly09 wrote: »

what is "isinglass"?


thanks

i·sin·glass   
[ahy-zuhn-glas, -glahs, ahy-zing-] Show IPA
–noun
1.
a pure, transparent or translucent form of gelatin, obtained from the air bladders of certain fish, especially the sturgeon: used in glue and jellies and as a clarifying agent.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/isinglass

molly09

i never knew, i was always so careful with sweets, crisps and gellatin based foods,

never heard of this before

Thanks

Ms. Koi

It's only in the Mi-Wadi Double Concentrate Tropical, every other one is fine. It isn't usually on ingredient lists because most of it is gone by the time the product is ready to sell. Still used in manufacture though!

Absurdum

Basically, it's a load of fish guts that is added in the brewing process to filter out suspended yeast particles, clarifying the beer. It is then filtered out but trace amounts can remain. Guinness like to claim that since it isn't in the finished product that it's therefore veggie. Most disagree. Isinglass is said to be the best fining method.

Irish Moss is an alternative fining substance, I'd like to see a Irish craft brewer use this instead of isinglass

Barnivore is a good resource for finding out about vegan beers/wines/liquors, but it is mostly US-based.

rubadub

Absurdum wrote: »

I'd like to see a Irish craft brewer use this instead of isinglass

Or they can use nothing at all. Some beers do not need finings, it could be filtered instead, or just leave the yeast in. Like you get erdinger and other beers with yeast in the bottles. I think it is used to clear apple juice too.

The isinglass is probably more economical, but you can definitely filter beer to be crystal clear without it, I have done it with wine. Homebrewers can just leave beer longer to settle, it should really be a selling point amongst craft brewers not to use unnecessary chemicals/products.

I got no reply from Jameson when I emailed them a while ago, they say they are vegan but I am uncertain if they fully realise what this means. e.g. they use old sherry barrels to age the whiskey, if this sherry was had isinglass in it then the whiskey is not vegan.

Absurdum

I can't for the life of me understand why Guinness needs it, it's not like you can see through it anyway