Vegan Muesli from ‘Bagrry’s’ and a Note about E Numbers

Here’s another quick breakfast meal that vegans can enjoy: ‘Crunchy Muesli’ from Bagrry’s. Please note that Bagrry’s has numerous varieties of muesli and only one variety is vegan-friendly: the one with the label ‘No Added Sugar’. It is simple to identify this variety; other than the label, this variety does not list ‘honey’ as an ingredient. Also, be assured that the two E numbers mentioned under the ingredients, INS 322 & INS 306, are derived from soya and not from animal parts.

Availability: Bagrry’s ‘No Added Sugar’ variety of vegan-friendly muesli is available in all modern trade centers across the country. Just in case you have difficulty finding the product in your city, please contact the Company directly by clicking this link.

What are E numbers?

E numbers are food additives in categories such as color, preservative, antioxidant, stabilizer, emulsifier, acidity regulator, and flavor enhancer to name a few. Each of these categories has numerous distinct numbers attached to them – these are the E numbers. ‘E’ pertains to ‘European’ conveying that the food additives represented by these E numbers have been permitted for use by the ‘European Union’. E numbers correspond to the International Numbering System (INS) and vice-versa. You will find these E numbers/INS numbers in most processed food packages just like INS 322 & INS 306 mentioned in the ‘No Added Sugar’ variety of Bagrry’s muesli.


What is it that vegans must know about E numbers?

All the food additives represented by E numbers may not be from plant sources. The Explore E Numbers and The Vegetarian Society websites provide a list of E numbers that should be avoided because they are derived from animals. The websites also list E numbers that vegans should be wary of because those could be derived either from plants or animals. You can find out the source of each E number from the Explore E Numbers website by clicking this link and from The Vegetarian Society website by clicking this link.

Suppose you find an E number on a product that can be from both plant as well as animal sources, how do you make sure about the source?

One way is to look for the ‘green’ vegetarian symbol on the product package. The other way is to write to the company to seek clarification. It is a good idea to do the latter because that sends out strong signals to the company that we know what these numbers are all about and we are serious about finding out their source basis which we can decide to purchase the product. More often than not, companies respond as this is a very sensitive matter. You will find the email address of the consumer cell of the company printed on the product package itself.