nothing really big, chances are that the plant that makes this product also makes a dairy and nut product, meaning they have to put that warning on the box.

It is the same reason why you will look at a bag of pretzels or something and see the warning "may contain nuts". It most likely doesn't, but as it is manufactured in the same building, they are forced by the FDA to disclose it.

I would put this on my labels to because someone could die if they had an allergy to milk or nuts. While the product might not have any milk or nuts I would not be able to ensure that something did not contaminate the product somewhere in the supply or distribution chain. It is better to be safe then dead or sued.

Perhaps it's dairy-free according to religious sects that require either a dairy-free diet or dairy separation, but not necessarily always perfectly dairy-free enough to stop someone with an extreme dairy allergy from dying?

Correct me if I'm wrong*, but aren't warnings like that put on because the equipment and/or processing may allow traces of things to enter the food supply? Maybe peanuts or dairy are processed in the same building, and the amount of product in the AIR might provide enough of a trace to warn about it.

When I go to a BBQ the vegans won't even use the same grill as me because I've had meat on it in the past and their soy patties may get traces of animal on it!

TLDR: "Traces" do not equal "ingredients."

*Who am I kidding, this is the internet. If I'm wrong I'm sure to enjoy the roasted marshmallows at the OMGWTFBBQ.

@absentmindedjwc: Seconded. My guess is that that warning is on all of their products. It's not so much that they're likely to have dairy as that the warning is a cheap way to fend off lawsuits.

I believe that the Orthodox Union are pretty strict about the dairy moniker, so if you want backup reassurance you could make sure it's food passed as OU, not OU-D.

This is nothing new to someone with food allergies. The statement in bold type on the front of food packaging is always contradicted in the ingredients list or allergen statement.
This particular food might appeal to someone going dairy-free for ascthetic(sp?) reasons, but not for a person allergic to milk and its proteins.
If I ignored this statement or felt that <10mPPM was sufficiently "milk-free", and fed it to my milk-allergic child, I could expect him to develop a rash at the VERY LEAST.

So the factory packages milk products as well. Even if they flush the lines and containers between products, there is a chance a small amount will be passed on to the next product.
It's a just legal disclaimer.

If a vegan eats at a restaurant, their veggie burger will likely be cooked on the same grill as beef burgers, and will therefore contain "traces" of beef. They might use the same spatula to flip it.

For what it's worth, there is no way to avoid animal products 100% as "traces" of animal products can and do sneak in from time to time. A trace could be a quarter of a droplet in thousands of gallons.

There are very few factories with equipment dedicated solely to vegan products. It costs hundreds of thousands of dollars for the equipment lines, so manufacturers are often forced to use it for many products to recoup the costs.

Even if you did find a factory whose products were on a completely vegan line, there is a chance something could get contaminated or let in the ingredients at the beginning of the process. A bug. A mouse. It happens. The wrong order shows up and chicken broth is added to soup instead of veggie broth...

Just take comfort in the fact that you're following your heart and doing your best at what you feel is the right course of action.

Anyone who is dairy free should check out Go Dairy Free. Alisa Fleming is the foremost expert on the subject and not a milk basher either. She explains all the information about shared equipment, what products contain hidden dairy and even has a new book on the subject and dairy free product lists.

[www.godairyfree.org]

Dairy Free? Who the hell does that unless they...don't like dairy or are allergic to it?

There are days I wish you would implement a The More You Know tag - oh, and get bloggers who shop for food at a supermarket instead of searching all the local organic farmers' market, because then they might have actually seen the "Food allergen from processing equipment warnings" before and maybe have answered the question if not in a personal reply then in the actual post so that the first 10 comments wouldn't BE the answer to the question.

If the bloggers DO deign to shop at a normal place like the rest of us, it's comforting to know that they pay as much attention to the ingredients list as the average derided consumer here, instead focusing on the 'shrink ray' ...

@Microshock: I agree... it is an aboslute mystery to me why anyone would go vegan(or for that matter join up with my least favorite group of scumbags PETA) other than for religious purposes or if they are alergic to proteins found in meat or dairy.

Sounds like the plant also produces dairy and nut products. Not sure if that's against vegan principles, but it is clear that milk is not an ingredient.

@absentmindedjwc: The warning labels that say "Manufactured in a facility that may also process nuts" is far more descriptive. I don't know why more products don't have *that* type of message. It's better than freaking someone out by saying that something may contain nuts.

@Microshock: I do that. It's called being aware of the environment and animal welfare. Just because YOU don't do it doesn't mean you can question other peoples' priorities. Stop being so closed-minded.

@The_IT_Crone: As someone else mentioned, it's probably because the product was processed in a facility that also processes products items that do contain dairy or nut products.

Some people have severe dairy, nut, gluten and other food allergies, so even trace amounts of these things can cause serious issues.

This is not a big deal. What bugs me is that MANY imitation cheddar soy cheese contain a big percentage of casein. Casein is milk protein. I don't think it can remotely be called dairy free.

Check trader joes sliced soy cheese alternative cheddar flavor for example.

@SabreDC: I was about to post the same thing - the label on this box makes one wonder if there could be a healthy dollop of clotted cream and a handful of peanuts in the container.

definitely seems like a trace product allergen warning. now if they would just start listing out what 'natural flavors' or 'spices' are individually and i'd never have to worry about accidental mango, chamomile or onion again.

Like someone said above, if you really want dairy-free, check for the hechscher. I believe all the major kashrus organizations (OU, Star-K, Circle-K, Kof-K, CRC) note on the package whether it is dairy or not, right next to the certification symbol. D indicates dairy cholov stam and P is kosher l'Pesach, so you want to make sure it says Pareve somewhere on there, as that is neither meat nor dairy. Making something on the same equipment that processes dairy would be noted as a D on the package or render the whole thing treif.

@SabreDC: The problem with that is that many people would not make the connection that because something is made in the same facility as something that contains milk/nuts, then there may accidentally be milk/nuts in the product in question.

This is nothing new. People with food intolerances have to deal with this crap all the time. The difference is we actually get sick from this stuff, while vegans don't actually notice unless someone tells them. That said, I would LOVE it if animal organizations started a big stink about this, because it's a huge problem not knowing what goes into processed foods. We've been trying to get better food labeling for a long time. We only just got this particular type of labeling for the 8 major allergens in 2006.

@CyGuy: sorry "printout" s/b "footprint"

Sounds like everyone except Stephen and Carey knows why the warning is there on the label. ;)

This link describes the regulations that went into effect in January 2006.
[www.fda.gov]

Many people who are gluten-intolerant have apps on iphones, paper lists, or other similar tools that are updated often in order to inform ourselves about what is safe. I know these exist for vegetarians and vegans. It sucks to have to be so vigilant about this stuff. The laws don't disclose enough at this point to rely on labels alone.

You can also download the law from this site, but I recommend reading the FAQ pdf first.
[www.foodallergy.org]

Clif bars have the same warning on them, for the reasons mentioned above.

@ScubaSteveKzoo:

Your first sentence *really* demonstrates how much you respect veg*ns!

@ScubaSteveKzoo: @classic10:

I know! Every imitation cheese product at Meijer's has casein in it. Who are they trying to target with it? Does casein not trigger reactions in people with milk allergies?

@Rosasharn: People who are lactose intolerant but not allergic to the milk protein, only the sugar, eat soy cheese with casein. Lactose intolerance is far more common than full blown dairy allergies.

Not in response to the above mentioned poster but to the anti-vegetarians:
To each his own. I won't begrudge your meat eating if you're so kind as to not mock my ethical and religious practices.

The OP: Eating things that come with dairy allergen warnings is usually accepted by the veg community as not eating animal products. In our factory food producing society, it's hard to get something that hasn't brushed up against something else and those with allergies appreciate the warning.

@CyGuy: As a "true vegan", I can say that just because PETA shares some of the same practices as I, it doesn't mean they share the same core values and beliefs.

@classic10: I agree - casein is like gluten, it's in everything.

My kid drinks soy milk and other soy products. If he drinks regular milk, he farts loudly for hours and it smells like death.

I know regular milk is supposed to be "healthy" for him, but it's not "healthy" for an elementary school kid to have to keep his little friends at a 10 foot distance, either.

As pointed out in a couple of other posts, a lot of these products - their target market is not vegans but those who are lactose intolerant. For this market, a drop of regular milk left in the factory line amongst thousands of gallons of soy milk is not going to be a big deal.

Dairy-free living is a pain in the ass. I am not veg or vegan, but don't eat dairy because of an allergy (I thought for years it was just lactose intolerance until my symptoms changed for the worse). Unfortunately the only way to truly be dairy-free is to learn to live without it and all its substitutes. It sucks because I LOVE dairy, but it's just food so you learn to deal, as hard as it is.

@thegirls:

Vegan means you dont eat any animal byproducts or animals! I didn't talk about meat eating, i said not drinking milk or eating cheese.

It says milk or nuts, couldn't it contain just nuts. It does have coconut oil. I imagine that is considered at least a trace amount of nuts.

@The_IT_Crone: "When I go to a BBQ the vegans won't even use the same grill as me because I've had meat on it in the past and their soy patties may get traces of animal on it!"

Those people need to lighten the f*ck up.

@Microshock: I'm confused. I don't think that I ever responded to anything you personally have said in this thread. So I'm not sure what you're getting at.

@oneswellfoop: Hello? Mods? I thought blaming the OP wasn't allowed and being a douche was doubleplusungood.

@classic10: 2nd this. I bought a nice package of "dairy-free" almond cheese at Whole Foods only to find casein *and* whey in the ingredients. Grr.

But this is not a big deal -- it just means it was produced in the same plant as milk and nut products.

@ScubaSteveKzoo:

Yep. I don't mind anyones eating habits, unless they think they are better than anyone else just becasue of what they eat.

@CyGuy: Yes, but unlike PETA many true vegans do not feel the need to make up 'facts' to support their lifestyle choices, nor spread fear to try to force that choice on others.

Mass honey production is really damaging to bees because they die while being shipped, and the lack of variety in their diet leads to sick bees. I still eat honey, because it is yummy, but the ethical argument not to is pretty sane.

@classic10: Agreed. I couldn't care less if something was produced in the same factory as _____, but casein in soy cheese seems counterproductive.

I commend your wife for making a choice that helps herself, animals and the environment as she made the decision to no longer eat animal corpses or use the by products of their corpses. This labeling is required by the FDA if the factory that made that product also processes dairy products as well. If there is any dairy in that product, it should be minimal. Most food factories produce different products and that labeling is for people with allergies. Also, let her know it is next to impossible to not use animal products. Unfortunately many foods use the word "natural flavors" in their products which can mean almost anything. Often, these companies wont even tell you if their product is vegan or vegetarian if you call and will cite trademark secrets as an excuse. Also certain foods like marshmallows (gelatin) seem to be vegan but they aren't. Tell her not to beat herself up over this. She is doing her part by reading labels and trying to avoid animal parts in her food but manufacturers have deceptive ways of sneaking these parts in. The best solution is to try and buy products from brands you can trust such as Amy's that dont hide their ingredients. Also look at forums such as

[www.vegetablekillers.net]
[www.veganoutreach.org]

will help her to learn more about her food and going vegan.

I keep a kosher kitchen which means that I do not eat milk and meat together and have separate dishes and even separate ovens and sinks for dairy and meat. That being said, someone who was deathly allergic to milk would probably not eat anything in my house because milk particles that settle from frying a cheese sandwich, could harm that person even though no religious stricture would be breached. A vegan can be as strict or as lenient as she chooses since it was her decision to begin with. It doesn't sound like this product is made of milk but this company is not vegan if they produce diary products.

@ScubaSteveKzoo: Thats what is the problem with this country. We know that our meat based diet if terrible for us, the planet and animals but too many people refuse to even try vegan/vegetarian options because meat taste to good. This is almost as comical as seeing people fill up their SUV's at the gas station and then complaining about high gas prices. If your taste buds are more important than the health of this planet your children and grandchildren will one day inherit, then so be it.

I would not rely on kashrus certifications for allergen guidance - Kashrus magazine a few years ago discussed that a very small amount of contaminant is allowed as long as the proper procedures are followed and still be certifiably kosher - however, for highly allergic people that small small trace could still be deadly. I think the story was a father with an allergic kid over a bag of marshmallows that triggered her, so he looked into the whole thing from a kosher perspective. Kosher is not enough for people with severe reactions.

@Rene Murillo: So if I were manufacturing a food product, I'd just put "May contain traces of milk, nuts, soy, peanuts, pretzels, rodents, dog fur, etc etc" just to keep someone from suing me. Judging from the labels I read, that seems to be what people are doing anyway.

@ScubaSteveKzoo: Why do you feel the need to comment on someone's beliefs? Are you that insecure? Nobody cares that you're Captain Meat Eater and eat twenty raccoons a day. The OP had a question about how a supposedly dairy-free product could be dairy-free if the label said "contains traces of milk", they didn't ask for you to comment on their lifestyle.

@joellevand: Just as a friendly aside, shoot an e-mail off to moderator@consumerist.com with the article and the offensive comment noted in it. It gets quick results.

@lauy:

I know it's not on the same scale, but after a yearlong stint on Coumadin, for some reason I can't eat broccoli now. And I LOVE broccoli, especially with cheese. Mmmm. Sometimes I try to eat it anyway, but then I get a horrible tummyache.

Unfortunately, it's in almost every frozen veggie mix and lots of restaurant dishes. Hard to avoid.