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Plant-based Claims Finally Explained!

Learn the difference between plant-based,
vegan, dairy-free, kosher-pareve, and more.
yoghurt cups with topping

Plant-based Claims Finally Explained!

Learn the difference between plant-based,
vegan, dairy-free, kosher-pareve, and more.
Download Your Brochure
Download Your Brochure
Always wondered what the difference between vegan and dairy-free was? How about other claims, such as are plant-based or lactose-free different? With more plant-based products on the retail shelves, we are seeing more and more food labels explained. Keep reading to see the most common claims in the plant-based space finally explained!

Allergen-labeling: Need-to-Know

1) The Allergen Claim

The FDA requires labeling all foods that contain a major food allergen as an ingredient, or have potentially come in contact with the product. A major food allergen, the so-called “Big 8”,  is defined as one of the following: milk, eggs, fish, Crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soybeans.

2) The "May Contain" Statement

Have you ever noticed on packs: “may contain milk”? The ‘may contain’ labeling is used for products that do not have milk as an ingredient but are, for example, made on lines that also share milk-containing ingredients. It results in unavoidable and involuntary presence of milk allergens due to cross-contact. 

Despite measures taken, this hazard cannot be prevented, especially not with chocolate where typical wet cleaning regimes are not possible. Barry Callebaut therefore, where needed, labels a precautionary allergen declaration like ‘may contain milk’. Products with a "may contain" labeling should not be consumed by allergic persons.

3) What Does Dual Claim Mean?

The combination of two claims brings an unique consumer benefit and targets consumers looking to address multiple needs.

At Barry Callebaut we offer dairy-free organic solutions and dairy-free high protein.

vegan chocolate bars

So what is the difference between claims?


  • Plant-based 
  • Dairy-free
  • Vegan
  • Non-dairy
  • Kosher-Pareve
  • Lactose-free  
Plant-based Sticker

 

Plant-based

Ingredient list does not include any animal-based or animal-originated ingredients.

dairy-free sticker

Dairy-free

A strict claim describing a product that has been produced in a fully-segregated environment i.e. no dairy is used in the manufacturing area. The end-product does not have detectable levels of dairy and is suitable for dairy allergy sufferers.

 

Vegan Sticker

Vegan

Vegan does not have a FDA-regulated definition in the US. The vegan diet is a lifestyle choice and consumers follow the vegan diet to different strictness degrees.

Due to the lack of a governmental definition and different interpretations of the vegan diet, Barry Callebaut will only identify “dairy-free certified” portfolio items and items from its non-dairy cocoa powder and nut portfolio factories as “suitable for vegans”.

 

Non-dairy

Identifying products that do no include any animal-based or animal-originated ingredients and manufactured in a facility without dairy ingredients. No testing is done.

Kosher-Pareve (or kosher-parve)

A religious certification that ensures the product does not contain and come in contact with dairy in the manufacturing process.

Lactose-free

A product that does not contain lactose. Whilst plant-based products are naturally lactose-free, dairy products such as milk can be lactose-free too. Indeed, lactose can easily be removed from dairy products thanks to an enzyme called lactase. Therefore a lactose-free product isn’t necessarily dairy-free.

The exclusive Plant Craft brochure offers: 

  • The Plant-Based Opportunity
  • Plant Craft Explained
  • Our Dairy-free Range
  • Our Non-dairy Range
  • Our Dual-claim Range
  • Regulatory Information

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