Reading Ingredient Lists: A Quick Guide to Spotting Hidden Animal E-Numbers

Key Terms to Watch For

• Gelatin, animal collagen
• Casein, whey protein (both dairy-derived; fine for lacto-ovo vegetarians, not for vegans)
• Shellac (commonly used to give candy and fruit a glossy coating)
• Animal fat, lard, tallow, fish oil

Easily Overlooked Codes

E120 (cochineal red), E441 (gelatin), E901 (insect wax), and E542 (bone phosphate) are all animal-derived additive codes that can turn up on an ingredient list. It's worth taking a second look whenever you spot these numbers.

A Practical Way to Check

When you're not sure where a code comes from, just search the code together with the word "source," for example "E471 source." Most additive codes have publicly available information about their origin.

Advice for Beginners

You don't need to memorize every code at once. Start with the handful of high-frequency ones above, look up anything new as you encounter it, and you'll gradually build your own personal red-flag vocabulary. You might also put together a small reference card with the key terms and codes, save it to your phone's photo album or a shopping app's favorites, and check it while you shop. After a few times, these terms will become second nature, and you won't need to look them up deliberately anymore. And when you truly can't tell about a product, simply skipping it in favor of a similar item with a clearer ingredient list is a perfectly practical solution.