Despite the massive increase in veggie-friendly foods available, even the most apparently innocent of foods may still contain hidden ingredients which are the product of slaughter. But don't worry, for help is at hand!

With the knowledge found below you will soon get to know what's what. And remember, you will always be able to rely 100 per cent upon The Vegetarian Society's symbol. There are many different symbols which supermarkets and manufacturers use to claim that a product is suitable for vegetarians. The product may indeed be vegetarian, but unfortunately standards do differ and some manufacturers are far less rigorous than The Vegetarian Society. Some products carrying vegetarian suitability symbols contain battery-farmed eggs. In the worst of cases, some meals may contain non-vegetarian cheese, as well as other 'nasties'. Certain products are completely vegetarian, but are not marked as such, so you will have to check the label for ingredients.

Watch out for... Albumen Derived from eggs, probably battery Anchovies Little fish, found dead on pizzas Animal fat Often found in cakes, biscuits, potentially just about everywhere Aspic Savoury jelly, meat or fsh in origin Beer (and Wines) Might have been refined or 'cleared' using Isinglass, made from the swim baldders of fish. Siprits are generally OK for veggies. Organic does not necessarily mean veggie. See our list of veggie friendly beers, spirits and wines, the good news is there are many available, so if you enjoy a tipple - bottoms up! Bread A lot of breads now contain vegetable-based emulsifiers, some contain no fats - some do. Certain bakeries will use animal fats to grease tins. Cheese There is a fine selection of vegetarian cheeses available. Make sure that the rennet does not come from animal sources. Chips Fry them in vegetable oil and/or make sure oven chips aren't coated in animal fat. Some fast food outlets use animal fats to cook fries, be sure to ask. Chocolate Watch out for whey, animal fat and non-veggie emulsifiers. Cochineal (E120) Red food colouring, often found in sweets, cakes and confectionery - made from crushed insects. Crisps Often use whey or lactose as flavour carrier. Eggs Make sure that they are free-range. Emulsifiers (and fatty acids) Sometimes are vegetarian, sometimes not. Gelatine A gelling agent, the results of boiling animal hides and bones. Often found in ice cream, sweets, pies and yoghurts.

Glycerine Can be produced from animal fats, but also veggie fermented sugars. Found in many products, from toothpaste to chewing gum. Ice Cream May contain battery eggs, animal fats and gelatine. Jelly Made from gelatine, go for a veggie alternative. Lactose Produced from milk, often a by-poduct of cheese making. Lecithin Mostly made from soya sources, could come from non-free-range eggs. Margarine Watch out for animal-fats, gelatine and fish oils. Pasta May contain battery eggs or even squid ink! Soup Take stock and check it's veggie. Suet Anyone for an animals internal organs in your pastry? Thought not. Go for vegetable suet. Tablets Make sure capsules are not made from gelatine. Tallow An animal fat Whey Whey and its powdered version come from cheese making, which could mean making use of animal rennet. Worcestershire sauce Leading brands contain anchovies but there are veggie version available. Away from the table... Down Usually from slaughtered ducks or geese. Photography Film uses gelatine, why not go digital? Silk Invariably involves killing the silk worm. Soap Some soaps include animal fats, and/or glycerine. Get a vegetable-based soap. Stamps In the UK they're veggie, so lick 'em and stick 'em!

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www.vegsoc.org/21cv : 21st Century Vegetarian