Irish consumers allergic to animal-derived food like egg and milk are being warned that ‘vegan’ labelled products may not be completely free of animal-based allergens.

he Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) is warning those allergic to animal products to be extremely wary when buying vegan products, as cross-contamination can occur.

This means that although a product may be deemed ‘vegan’ as it doesn’t contain any animal products, it can be contaminated by animal-based allergens during the production process.

This may not be an issue for vegans or those who choose not to eat animal products, however, it can have devastating health implications for those allergic to animal-derived products.

As the term ‘vegan’ is not defined in EU or Irish food law there are no limits set out in food law about the proportion of animal-derived ingredients permitted in such food.

The five animal-derived food allergens (egg, milk, fish, molluscs,