You may well have been wondering why the wrapper of your iChoc bar features the sentence: “May contain traces of milk”. In that case it can’t be vegan, can it? Well, yes it can, and it is! In this article, we explain what this sentence actually means and demonstrate why the label “vegan” needs to be distinguished from labels such as “lactose-free” and “dairy-free”.
Why are there traces at all?
Our chocolate is produced in a chocolate factory that also produces chocolate containing milk. In fact, there are very few chocolate factories in the world that are able to produce 100% vegan chocolate on a large scale. That is why this issue of traces is not a rare one. The very same sentence is found on most vegan chocolates.
Despite the most extensive cleaning procedures and the effective allergen management policy at our chocolate factory, it is, sadly, impossible to completely rule out traces of milk products being present in our iChoc bars. “Traces” is the term used when the proportion of milk constituents does not exceed a value of 0.1 g / 100 g.
We correctly acknowledge these traces on the packaging and thus indicate the presence of potential allergens in the list of ingredients in accordance with the strict, Europe-wide food information labelling regulation. In this way, we also provide people who suffer from dairy allergies with the information they need, so that, in the case of an allergy, they know to refrain from eating the chocolate. As a result, our chocolate cannot be labelled “lactose-free” or “dairy-free”.
Why is iChoc still vegan?
There is still no legal definition for the term “vegan”. It is generally understood – and most authorities and organisations, such as the world-renowned Vegan Society, agree – that foods may be labelled as vegan if they are free from animal products. Possible traces are acceptable, if they are less than the reference value of 0.1 g per 100 g, as stated above. The manufacturer must also do everything in their power to minimise possible traces in accordance with “good manufacturing practices” (GMP). We follow these guidelines for the production of iChoc. As such, our chocolates are 100% vegan in line with the definition.
You can read what the Vegan Society has written about the topic here:
https://www.vegansociety.com/resources/nutrition-and-health/allergen-labelling