Vegan, plant-based, meat free and free-from

Vegan, plant-based, meat-free and free-from

We have all seen a massive increase in the trend towards plant-based and meat-free food, but what do such terms really mean? Jacqui McPeake provides some clarification.

CONFUSION

There is a confusing range of terms ranging from vegan, meatfree and plant-based to free-from. Generally, we are familiar with the terms “vegetarian” and “vegan”, and we understand that vegetarians will eat eggs and dairy products whereas vegans are much stricter and will not eat any products which contain any meat, fish or products from animals such as eggs or dairy.

But have you heard of any of the following terms? Cheegan, reducetarian or seagan? It has become very confusing with a range of new words used to identify the range of diets within the vegan, vegetarian and plant-based range.

The term “vegan” was adopted in 1944 by the founders of The Vegan Society and the definitions is as follows: “Veganism is a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude - as far as is possible and practicable - all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose… In dietary terms it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals.”

Those who follow a vegan way of life are committed to a lifestyle which does not allow animals and animal products to be exploited in any way. When a consumer sees a vegan product, they will naturally expect that this product is free from meat and any derivatives of meat. If a consumer has a milk or egg allergy, they should expect that vegan products will be safe to eat.

ALLERGEN CONSIDERATION

It is well known that allergy sufferers sometimes feel awkward asking questions, wanting to check the allergen chart or speak to a manager, particularly if they are young – 16 to 24 years of age. They may order food which they think is safe without checking the ingredients or allergen content assuming the product will be safe. This is particularly relevant when talking about vegan products.

The vegan market should not be aimed at the allergy consumer, and whilst we would assume that the product is free from milk and eggs, the Vegan Society certified products allow traces of or “may contain” milk and eggs. “May contain” refers to an unintentional cross-contact of other allergens during the production process. Vegan products are aimed at a different consumer group than allergen consumers.

It was highlighted recently due to the Celia Marsh Pret a Manger case (when Celia died after purchasing a vegan product in Pret a Manger) that even though a product is labelled as vegan, the manufacturing process may carry a risk of cross-contamination. It was identified that the product should have contained coconut milk, and during the manufacturing process cross contamination of dairy milk with the coconut milk caused the reaction. The actual details of this case are quite complicated, but in this situation “never assume” is good advice.

BACKGROUND

Jacqui McPeake has worked for over 35 years in the catering industry, with ten years as head of catering at Manchester Metropolitan University with 36,000 students and 4,000 staff, and where she and the team had a responsibility to ensure that they could cater for a wide variety of diets on a daily basis. The changes implemented ensured that allergen management became part of the team culture, winning them Catering Team of the Year 2017 specifically for the work they had undertaken on allergen management. Her company – JACS Ltd – now provides interactive Allergen Awareness Workshops, HABC allergen training and presentations, as well as audits as part of the National Accreditation Scheme.

GUIDING CHOICE

Products which are identified as vegan, vegetarian, plant-based or meat-free are used to help the customer when choosing their products and are known terms, not food safety claims.

If a product states “allergen-free”, the product must have undergone suitable robust checks to confirm the absence of allergen(s) stated. If the product subsequently causes a reaction, then this should be reported to the local EHO or Trading Standards as this is a false claim under Trading Standards Law. An example of a breach in Trading Standards Law is when a consumer relies on a description such as an ingredient label, and the information is incorrect.

“Free-from” products are a familiar sight within most supermarkets. However, this terminology is also confusing. Freefrom products are not allergen-free, they are only free from those allergens listed on the packaging. The message is to read the ingredient label even though the branding suggests the product may be “safe”. This lack of understanding caused the tragic death of Raffi Pownall when his father bought a chocolate bar which was gluten-free but contained milk powder.

Plant-based and meat-free are familiar terms in the supermarkets and on restaurant menus. The British Standards Institution (BSI) have been working on this terminology to clarify the meaning of this type of product. The definitions of meat-free and plant-based vary; some descriptions state that products consist of mainly plants or another definition states made with few, or no, animal products. Clearly, the range of definitions are ambiguous, a “plant-based” diet often indicating the consumer is choosing plant-based food for a healthier diet, rather than ethical views on meat consumption.

A national survey was conducted by The Vegan Society in 2020 across a sample of 1,000 people across the UK. The results confirmed that…

● 64.1% of the public believe that the term “plant-based” means the product contains absolutely no animal products (i.e. vegan).

● 26.9% of the public believe that the term “plant-based” means the product may contain small amounts of milk and/or eggs.

● 9% of the public believe that the term “plant-based” means the product may contain small amounts of meat.

The survey also looked at which of the two terms – vegan and plant-based – the public preferred, and found that 52.8% of consumers preferred “vegan” and 47.2% preferred “plant-based”.

The survey also concluded that consumers want clear and accurate labelling so that they can make informed decisions about the product they are purchasing (Attest consumer survey for The Vegan Society – (‘Food labelling’) of 1,000 GB adults – conducted 2-3 September 2020).

Although there have been changes in trends towards vegan and plant-based products, they are not suitable for consumers with food allergies and intolerances.

NEW TERMINOLOGY

The Food Standards Agency have introduced new terminology to describe consumers who have allergies, intolerances, and coeliac disease. They are known as FHS consumers (Food Hypersensitive Consumers), and the number of FHS consumers is increasing - at least 20% of the population, and it is important that products are available for this group of consumers.

It has been noticeable in supermarkets that free-from product ranges have reduced in favour of vegan/plant-based/ meat-free which are currently more commercially viable. The FHS consumers are very loyal and if they fi nd products which are suitable for their diet, they will continue to buy that product and will also share their delight with others. The FHS consumers are very active on social media and if they like something they will share it on Instagram, Facebook and in their blogs. Remember that these are diff erent consumer groups with diff erent dietary needs.

The message is that products must be clear on which category they fall under and the ingredient label must be accurate. The consumer must know exactly what type of product they are purchasing. In order to be inclusive, a product which is plant-based, vegan with no milk or eggs will make a range of customers happy!

Natasha’s Law – a year on

A year on from the introduction of Natasha’s Law, which requires food businesses to include full ingredients labelling on prepacked for direct sale foods, new research from online training provider High Speed Training has found that only 47% of people trust that the manufacturer or premises serving the food has correctly identified all of the allergens in the product.

Natasha’s Law, which came into force on the 1 October 2021, was proposed after the tragic death of Natasha EdnanLaperouse, a 15-year-old who died in 2016 after suffering an allergic reaction to sesame seeds that were baked into the dough of a baguette. The sandwich did not have any allergen advice on its wrapper as it was prepared on the premises. At the time, this was not required by law.

Natasha’s Law requires food businesses to include full ingredient labelling on prepacked for direct sale foods - products packed on the same premises from which they are being sold.

Common foods that can fall into this category include sandwiches, salads and pies sold from the premises in which they are made.

A year on from the Law coming into effect, High Speed Training has conducted a survey exploring the impact the changes in legislation have made. The survey of over 1000 UK adults found that less than half (47%) of respondents trust that the manufacturer or premises serving the food has correctly identified all of the allergens in the product, highlighting the need for food businesses to do more to reassure their customers (based on research commissioned by High Speed Training in September 2022, carried out by Google Surveys of 1,000+ UK representative adults).

The survey also found that only 37% of respondents felt that they are more aware of food-based allergens now than they were a year ago, demonstrating that overall knowledge of allergens is still relatively low.

When asked if they could name any of the 14 allergens that food businesses must declare under UK law, a huge 53% said they wouldn’t be able to name any, with a further 20% only being able to name between one and three.

Tash Blythe, food and drink learning designer at High Speed Training, said: “Since Natasha’s Law was introduced, we have seen high numbers of businesses and individuals taking our Allergens Awareness course, as premises worked to ensure that they were compliant with the new regulations.

“However, these results clearly show that there is still work to be done to educate both businesses and the general public on the importance of allergens and their clear labelling, and to help build the trust of customers and consumers.

“In the UK, an estimated two million people are living with a diagnosed food allergy (FSA data), so it is vital that everyone is aware of the potential dangers of mislabelled products. We would urge all businesses and consumers to increase their knowledge of allergens and understand how to safely label and identify their presence in products.”