Albumin is the workhorse protein of egg white, and sometimes of blood plasma. Either way it is an animal binder wearing a lab-coat name.
Made fromEgg white or animal blood
Also calledAlbumen, ovalbumin, serum albumin
VerdictNot vegan
Where it hides
Some baked goods and meringue
Protein powders
Processed and cured meats (blood plasma)
Wine and juice clarifiers
What it is
Albumin is a family of proteins that dissolve in water and set when heated, which is why they bind and foam so well. The one most people meet is ovalbumin, the main protein of egg white.
On a label, albumin usually means dried egg white, used to bind, foam, or firm up a product. In some processed and cured meats it means serum albumin, a protein recovered from animal blood plasma and used as a binder. Both are animal-derived, so albumin is not vegan in either form.
Lysozyme (E1105)Lysozyme, additive E1105, is an enzyme pulled straight from egg white. It quietly guards some hard cheeses and the odd wine.
CollagenCollagen is the scaffolding of animal bodies: skin, bone, connective tissue. There is no plant version, so every real collagen supplement is animal-derived, and vegan collagen is a different thing wearing the same name.
GelatinGelatin is boiled animal collagen, usually from pig or cow skin and bone. There is no plant version; the plant swaps are agar, pectin and carrageenan.
Frequently asked
Is egg albumin the same as albumen?
Effectively yes in food. Albumen is egg white, and ovalbumin is its main protein, often dried and sold as albumin powder. It is not vegan.
Why is albumin in some meats?
Serum albumin from animal blood plasma is used as a binder in some processed and cured meats, helping the product hold together. It is an animal product.
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