I was eating some vegan chocolate chip cookies (no egg, no dairy) from Trader Joe's when I noticed the fine print on the package: Made on equipment shared with milk, egg, and peanuts.
The FDA (in charge of allergy labels) uses the phrase 'May Contain:' on ingredients lists to denote that whatever you're eating is processed on equipment that also processes dairy/eggs/nuts/etc. This is used when all efforts have been taken to cleanse the equipment, but contamination may still occur (for those with SEVERE food allergies to things like peanuts). The little heart enclosed in a circle denotes '100% certified vegan'. This label is still given to foods that are processed on equipment that also handles non-vegan products. Vegan Action, the group that checks and offers this prestigious and time-saving label, allows for the 'may contain' because they, like many vegans, feel that extreme vegan purity, though respected, is more harmful to the vegan movement than it is beneficial. Allowing the 'may contain' companies to be certified vegan increases their ability a cater to the growing vegan population. Many companies (such as well intentioned organic-producers) that produce vegan foods would not be able to make vegan
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