Question

Instructions: Use the information for the hypoallergenic infant formula below to answer questions 5-6 on a separate sheet of paper.

Dietary Information
Gluten Free	Yes	Fish Free	Yes
Milk Free	No	Vegetarian	Yes
Egg Free	Yes	Vegan	No
Soya Free	Yes	Kosher	No
Wheat Free	Yes	Halaal	No
Nut Free	Yes

Nutrition Information
Typical Values	Unit	Per 100ml	Per 100g
Energy	kJ / kcals	300 / 72	2030 / 487
Protein	g	1.98	13.4
Carbohydrate	g	8.7	58.8
Fat	g	3.26	22
Fibre	g	Nil	Nil

Ingredients Enzymatically Hydrolysed Whey Protein (protein source), Lactose, Potato Starch, Vegetables Oils (Palm, Olein, Low Erucic Rapeseed, Coconut, Sunflower), Sodium Citrate, Calcium Citrate, Calcium Chloride, Sodium Phosphate, Magnesium Chloride, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Ascorbate, Choline Bitatrate, Ferrous Sulphate. Inositol, Niacin (Nicotinamide), Zinc Sulphate, Vitamin E (DL-tocopheryl Acetate), Calcium-d-Pantothenate, Vitamin A (Retinyl Acetate), Copper Sulphate, Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine Hydrochloride), Potassium Chloride, Riboflavin, Thiamin, Vitamin D (Cholecalciferol), Folic Acid, Potassium Iodide, Phylloquinone1, D-Biotin, Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamine).

5.    List the “non-vegan” ingredients of this formula.
6.    a.   Is breast milk a vegan product?

2.    Why or why not?

Answer 1

The non vegetarian ingredient in the formula may be milk. Most infant formula contain cow's milk. The cow's milk is produced for the cow's baby and we call an animal product non vegetarian, if it is taken by force from the animal.

a. Yes breast milk is a vegan product.

b. The mother's body produces breast milk for the baby and she willingly feeds the baby. The milk is meant for the baby only. Anything that comes from an animal with consent and without any external force is vegan. As long as the animal is not forced to give something up and does so willingly, that would be vegetarian. And that is why human breast milk is also vegan, as the mother willingly decides to give something of her own body to her child.