Some of the pants used as cleaning cloths ​ Kamran Ajaib, director of Hamza Poultry Limited.

A MAN has admitted supplying chicken to takeaways across Bristol from a filthy, unlicensed backstreet processing plant.
Kamran Ajaib used Y-fronts as cleaning rags and had no wash handbasins or knife steriliser in his makeshift butchers in Maggs Lane, Fishponds, which produced 20 tonnes of meat a week.

1. ​
   Some of the pants used as cleaning cloths
2. ​
   Kamran Ajaib, director of Hamza Poultry Limited.

• •
• •

The chicken went to takeaway restaurants and kebab shops in Bristol, as well as surrounding towns and cities as far afield as Swindon, Cardiff, Newport and Swansea.
But the premises had none of the necessary food hygiene approvals or licences to work with meat.
Council officials raided the site on the Fishponds Trading Estate after a customer found a piece of metal wire in a takeaway chicken.
At Bristol Crown Court yesterday Ajaib, of Gordon Road, Whitehall, pleaded guilty to 16 charges of failing to comply with food hygiene regulations, between June 2010 and May last year.
He faces a possible jail sentence when he returns to the court next month.
Initially, Ajaib, the sole director of Hamza Poultry Limited, had denied any knowledge of cutting chicken on the premises.
He told a previous hearing, held at the city's magistrates court last year, that it arrived in boxes from EU-regulated factories and was left in those boxes.
But city council principal environmental health officer John Barrow said equipment used in meat preparation had been found during a raid on the premises, along with off-cuts of meat.
Mr Barrow said council officers, accompanied by police, found work tables, a bandsaw – a type of saw often used to cut meat – knives, a chainmail glove – used by butchers to prevent accidental cuts to their hands while chopping meat – and open wheelie bins containing meat debris and bones.
The court was shown a photograph of a box of meat with a pair of underpants draped over it.
It was said that the pants were clean and came from a next door business, which had a surplus of old stock, and had been used as cleaning cloths at the chicken plant.
Bristol City Council successfully applied for an order from magistrates to destroy more than four tonnes of chicken seized in a raid on the unit in May last year.
Mr Barrow said a member of the public had made a complaint to the council after finding a piece of metal wire in a chicken takeaway.
A council investigation into the takeaway's suppliers led them to Hamza Poultry. Council investigators estimated the unit processed "in excess of 20 to 30 tonnes a week" of chicken.
From mobile phones and receipts seized in the raid they realised the meat was being distributed across the South West to what were described in court as "KFC clones and kebab shops", including outlets in Swindon, Wales and Bristol itself.
Asked what the premises needed to comply with safety standards, Mr Barrow said it lacked washbasins by work areas, a knife steriliser and any kind of safety management system.
Kate Burnham, who brought the application to destroy the meat on behalf of the council, said: "It doesn't matter whether this meat is fit for human consumption or not. It is simply because they have not got the right licences in place."
Ajaib told the earlier court hearing that he had stepped in at short notice to help his family, taking over the business from a brother who had been "locked up" some months before the raid. He said he had not known he needed a licence, and that the equipment he had on the site had come from a butcher who owed him money

WhiteHouse.gov

Official Army Response to Immediately halt the cruel and unnecessary use of monkeys in Army chemical casualty management training courses.

Army No Longer Using Monkeys as Part of Training at Aberdeen Proving Ground

By Col. Thomas Collins
Thank you for your participation in the We the People platform on WhiteHouse.gov
On September 20th, 2011, the Army stated that it would no longer use monkeys as part of life-saving training at Aberdeen Proving Ground. This change was long planned, and was made possible by improved technology, the development of alternative training methods, shifting chemical threat environments, and changes in the medical competencies required of first responders during a chemical incident.
Col. Thomas Collins is Deputy Chief of Army Public Affairs

Dutch court convicts five for Tamil Tiger fundraising

Tamil Tiger rebels fought for a separate homeland in Sri Lanka for decades

Sri Lanka After War

• UN panel report: Main allegations
• War in pictures
• Q&A: Post-war Sri Lanka
• Profile: Mahinda Rajapaksa

A Dutch court has convicted five Dutch ethnic Tamil men for raising funds for the banned Tamil Tiger rebels.

The men got sentences of up to six years for their activities on behalf of rebels who fought for an independent homeland for Tamils in Sri Lanka.
Prosecutors said the men extorted millions of euros from the Tamil diaspora through blackmail and threats.
But the defence counsel for the five men argued that they were freedom fighters.
In a complex ruling, the judge said the men were not convicted of supporting terror but that he found them guilty of involvement in a criminal organisation.
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam [LTTE] was outlawed by the European Union in 2006.
They fought a decades-long and bloody war against Sri Lankan authorities for a separate Tamil homeland in the north and east of the country, but were defeated by the Sri Lankan army in 2009.
Prosecutors also accused the men of "brainwashing" children by teaching them to make pictures of bombs and grenades.
This case is one of a number of prosecutions concerning both sides of the Sri Lankan conflict that are currently being considered in foreign courts.

More on This Story

Sri Lanka After War

• UN panel report: Main allegations

• War in pictures

• Q&A: Post-war Sri Lanka

• Profile: Mahinda Rajapaksa

• After the Tigers

• Election a family affair

• Child soldiers' second chance

Background

• Leaderless opposition

• Profile: Gen Sarath Fonseka

Watch/Listen

• History of the war in Sri Lanka Watch

• Sri Lanka displaced leaving camps Watch

Related Stories

• Canada continues to detain Tamils 24 AUGUST 2010, US & CANADA
• Tamil 'died aboard migrant ship' 16 AUGUST 2010, US & CANADA
• Canada processes Tamil migrants 14 AUGUST 2010, US & CANADA

Related Internet links

• Swiss Attorney General Office
• Sri Lankan government
• TamilNet

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external Internet sites

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“Trendy fish pedicures could spread HIV and hepatitis

“Trendy fish pedicures could spread HIV and hepatitis C,” The Sun has today reported. Its front-page story said that officials have raised an “alert” over the treatment, popular in beauty spas, where tiny fish are used to nibble away areas of hard foot skin.

While The Sun has been carping on about warnings and alerts, the newspaper seems to have overestimated the scale of the risk, which health experts have described as being “extremely low”. Rather than being an alert, the news is based on a report by the Health Protection Agency that has set out good practice for so-called ‘fish spas’ that offer the service.

While the report did acknowledge that the risk of infections could not be completely ruled out, it is important to view this in context and not be reeled in by fishy headlines.

What exactly is a fish pedicure?

A fish pedicure is a beauty treatment that uses dozens of tiny fish to nibble away dead and hardened skin from the feet. During a session a person immerses their feet in a tank of warm water and lets the minute, toothless Garra rufa fish nibble away for around 15 to 30 minutes. The fish are said only to eat dead skin, although there are some anecdotal reports that they can break the skin if they nibble too deep.

Fish pedicures have long been used as beauty treatments in Turkey and the Far East, but have only recently been introduced to this country. In the few years since the first UK ‘fish spa’ opened the treatment’s popularity has rocketed due to celebrity endorsements and high-profile press coverage. The HPA says that, as of spring 2011, it is aware of 279 in operation (although there are likely to be many more).

A small number of spas may also be using other species of fish to perform pedicures, such as Chin chin fish. However, the HPA says that these should not be used as they develop teeth when they get older, and may therefore present a greater risk to public health.

What did the report examine?

The report examined a number of issues relating to fish pedicures, including:

• potential ways infections might occur
• the risk of catching blood-borne viruses, including HIV and hepatitis
• the risk of bacterial infections
• the risk of catching parasites, such as fluke worms
• the risk of transmitting conditions, such as athlete’s foot and verrucas
• procedures that might reduce any health risks

The report is based on consultations with experts and professional bodies within the fields of public health, aquaculture, health and safety, and animal welfare.

What did the report find?

The report considered three main ways that a person might catch an infection:

• from a fish or a fish tank
• from tank water
• from another person via surfaces, such as floors

Within these areas they considered the different types of infections that might occur.

Blood-borne viruses

Viruses such as HIV and hepatitis are carried in the blood and, in theory, could be transmitted through tank water if someone with a cut or abrasion were to use a tank containing traces of blood from an infected person with cuts.

However, there is only anecdotal evidence that Garra rufa fish can draw blood, and the HPA says that any blood-borne viruses they come into contact with are unlikely to stay on the surface of their mouths and lead to infection. Any blood entering the tank is likely to be diluted by the volume of water used.

While transmission through this method cannot be completely ruled out, the HPA says the risk of catching a blood-borne virus in this way is extremely low. Further to this, the HPA is recommending that the fish spas check clients for cuts and abrasions both before and after their session.

Parasites

Fish-borne parasites, such as tapeworms and flukes that can be caught by humans if they eat undercooked fish. However, the HPA says that there is no evidence that these can be caught from a fish pedicure as this would require ingestion of the fish or the water.

Bacterial infections

The report looked at a number of specific harmful bacteria, including those that cause salmonella and legionnaires’ disease. Generally, these were deemed to be of low risk as they would not be ingested or would need broken skin to cause infection.

However, certain bacteria were identified as posing a greater risk of infection. For example, Staphylococcus aureus might infect people’s skin if they had eczema or psoriasis. Also, a type of bacteria called Mycobacterium marinum, which is associated with fish tanks and non-chlorinated swimming pools, could cause boils if transferred into broken skin.

Fungal infections such as verrucas and athlete’s foot

Fungi are known to survive on inanimate surfaces for prolonged periods and could, therefore, be passed on by infected clients walking around barefoot. However, the HPA points out that this route of transmission is not unique to fish spas.

So are fish pedicures safe?

The Health Protection Agency says that “on the basis of the evidence identified and the consensus view of experts, the risk of infection as a result of a fish pedicure is likely to be very low”. The agency does outline some groups who are not recommended to have fish pedicures due to increased risk of infection, such as people with diabetes or compromised immune systems.

The HPA also specifically addresses the possibility of transmitting blood-borne viruses such as HIV and hepatitis. The agency says that, in theory, transmission could occur if infected blood from one person got into an open wound on another person using the same tank, although, once again, the risk is “extremely low”. In part, the risk would be minimised due to factors such as the diluting action of the water and the fact that infected blood would be unlikely to stay on the fishes’ mouths.

However, the agency does say that the risk of infections cannot be completely excluded and, in order to reduce this risk even further, they have drawn up a list of recommendations for fish spas.

What recommendations does the HPA make?

The HPA has made extensive recommendations on how fish spas can further reduce the risk of infections. Below are some of the major ones.

Groups not recommended to have a fish pedicure

The agency also says fish pedicures are not recommended for people that may increase the risk of infection or pose an infection risk to other clients. This includes people who:

• have had their legs waxed or shaved in the previous 24 hours (they may have tiny cuts that increase infection risk)
• have any open cuts, wounds, abrasions or broken skin on the feet or lower legs
• have an infection on the feet (including athlete’s foot or a verruca)
• have psoriasis, eczema or dermatitis affecting the feet or lower legs
• are diabetic (which leads to increased risk of infection)
• have a blood-borne virus such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C or HIV
• have an immune deficiency due to illness or medication
• have bleeding disorders or take anticoagulant medication (for example, heparin or warfarin)

Safety procedures for fish spas

The HPA recommends that:

• Clients should be provided with medical information on any potential risk, including specific guidance on conditions that raise infection risk.
• Clients should have their feet examined both before and after treatment to make sure they are free from cuts and infections. Staff should log that these checks have been performed.
• Feet should be thoroughly washed and rinsed before a pedicure to minimise the number of micro-organisms transferred into the tank.
• If there is evidence that bleeding has occurred during a session the tank should be drained and cleaned thoroughly. The HPA has drawn up thorough guidelines on how to disinfect tanks in a fish-friendly way. After 48 hours in a holding tank the fish can be reused.
• Clients should be told to seek advice from their GP if they experience any adverse effects.

Links to the headlines

Fish foot spa virus bombshell. The Sun, October 18 2011

Health risk from fish pedicures. The Daily Telegraph, October 18 2011

Links to the science

Fish pedicures unlikely to cause infection. HPA 2011

Badger vaccine pilot planned by National Trust in Devon

A decision to cull badgers could prove to be as controversial as selling off nationally owned forests

Related Stories

• Badger cull legal advice sought
• Badger vaccine cattle TB promise
• Badger cull 'may worsen problem'

The National Trust is to vaccinate badgers against TB this summer in a bid to curb the disease in cattle - the first UK landowner to do so.

The trust hopes its £320,000, four-year project on Devon's Killerton estate will make the case for vaccination as an alternative to culling.
Cattle (or bovine) tuberculosis costs the UK about £100m each year.
The government is set to approve badger culling in England soon, and the Welsh Assembly Government also plans a cull.
Research published last year showed the vaccine lowers infection in badgers.
Some cattle herds contract TB through contact with badgers, which carry the bacterium, although infection from other cattle is more significant.
Badger culling is a controversial option and although the trust is not opposed to it in principle, it is troubled by research showing it could do more harm than good - hence the vaccination scheme.
"This is a pilot project - it's not research, not a trial - we know the vaccine works, and we're going for it," said David Bullock, the trust's head of nature conservation.
"The driver is that we want to reduce the risk of bovine TB breakdowns in cattle herds belonging to our tenant farmers, 18 of whom are involved in this project - and we also want to see that the vaccine is considered nationwide."
Last December, scientists with the government-owned Food and Environment Research Agency (Fera) published the results of a four-year field trial using an injectable TB vaccine.

“Start Quote

As the vaccine is preventative, [it is] unlikely to impact positively on infected badgers”

End Quote Melanie Hill NFU regional director

It showed that vaccination reduced the incidence of TB in badgers by 74%, but did not look for any impact on infection levels in cattle.

The Labour government had planned five subsequent pilot vaccination projects, but the coalition reduced that to one, and Killerton was among the sites axed.
So at a cost of £80,000 per year, the National Trust is picking up the project, making use of the fact that some of the preliminary research (such as mapping out badger setts) has already been done.
Across about 20 sq km (8 sq miles) of the site, badgers will be lured into cages with bait and trapped.
Trained and licensed Fera staff will then deliver a dose of vaccine and release the badger, first marking it so it does not subsequently receive a second shot.
Dozens of setts have been identified, and the trust believes many hundreds of badgers will be vaccinated.
Promises made
The Conservative Party made badger culling a plank of their general election campaign last year.

Supporters of badger vaccination say it could reduce the need for cattle testing, or culling

The National Farmers' Union (NFU) has demanded it for a long time and after the election Agriculture Minister Jim Paice - a farmer himself - announced a public consultation into how it should be implemented in England.
While supporting the trust's decision to carry out the pilot programme, the NFU said vaccines formed part of the long-term solution but did not address the "desperate plight" that many farmers currently found themselves in.
"Current vaccination methods of injecting badgers is costly, and practically challenging with the benefits remaining unclear, and unproven," Melanie Hall, the NFU's regional director for South-West England told BBC News.
"As the vaccine is preventative, [it is] unlikely to impact positively on infected badgers."
Nationwide, nearly 35,000 cattle were slaughtered last year and there is no vaccine yet that can be used in cattle.
The government believes a cull would reduce disease incidence in cattle by 16% over nine years.
A spokesman for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affair (Defra) welcomed the National Trust's plans to run a vaccine pilot project.
He added: "There's no one solution to tackling TB, and the badger vaccine we developed is one of the tools we have available.
"We will be announcing a comprehensive and balanced TB Eradication Programme for England as soon as possible."
Ministers were expected to publish their plans to deal with bovine TB in the national herd in February; but amid turmoil over the disposal of nationally-owned forests, the announcement was postponed, and is now expected next month.
Meanwhile, the Welsh Assembly Government has announced new plans for a pilot cull in Pembrokeshire this year, after a legal ruling derailed similar plans last year.
Animal rights campaigners are to challenge the new plans in the courts.
Scientific cloud
Behind the issue lie conflicting interpretations of scientific evidence on the effectiveness of culling.
The Westminster and Cardiff governments and the NFU argue that culling can markedly reduce bovine TB incidence in cattle.
But the major UK investigation, the Randomised Badger Culling Trial (also called the Krebs trial), showed culling only produced a benefit if conducted rigorously and systematically over large areas, ideally with hard boundaries that badgers could not cross.
Otherwise, the social structure of badger groups broke down when some were killed, and the animals ranged further afield - infecting more cattle and leading to increased TB incidence.
"We're not against culling badgers if it's going to be effective in curbing bovine TB, but you can't apply the criteria everywhere that would make it effective," Mr Bullock told BBC News.
"Unless you have boundaries, you may have this effect where badgers move around and spread TB - we know from the science that this does happen."
Scientists who ran the Krebs trial have warned the government that its plan to allow shooting of badgers as they roam was likely to be less effective than the trap-and-shoot method deployed during the trial.
On that basis, they said, culling "risks increasing rather than reducing the incidence of cattle TB".
In the Irish Republic, culling has been practised for many years and does appear to have curbed bovine TB; but scientists involved with that programme say the disease will not be eradicated without vaccination.
The National Trust argues that vaccination could prove to be a more effective option than culling, in conjunction with tightened regulations designed to prevent cattle-to-cattle transmission.
This would also, of course, avoid killing badgers, which are a protected species under UK and EU laws.
Eventually, the aim is to have an oral vaccine that badgers would simply eat, avoiding any need for trapping; but that is thought to be five years away.

Badger vaccine project generates 'delight'

• No English badger cull this year
• UK public 'opposes badger cull'
• Trust planning badger vaccination

The UK's first independent badger vaccination project has proved that the technique is "viable and affordable", according to the charity running it.

The Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust vaccinated 35 badgers during the summer against the bacterium that causes tuberculosis (TB) in cattle.
The government wants to fight cattle TB in England through culling, but animal groups see vaccination as preferable.
The trial did not look for any impact on disease in badgers or cattle.
Instead, the idea was to see how feasible it would be to train staff and vaccinate the animals, and how much it might cost.
"We are delighted with the results (which prove) that there is an affordable alternative to the proposed cull," said Gordon McGlone, the trust's chief executive.
"Bovine TB is a big problem, but local culling of one of our much-loved native animals is not the answer.
"Scientists have spent the last 12 years investigating whether killing badgers will halt this serious disease in cattle, and the answer they are getting is that it could well make the problem worse."
The UK's so-called "Krebs Trial", the largest investigation of badger culling undertaken in any country, found that culling can reduce the incidence of bovine TB in the target area.
But if it is not done thoroughly and consistently over a large area, it can actually increase the disease burden, as badgers roam further from their setts when others die, taking bacteria to other farms.
Trial series
Conservation groups argue that vaccination does not carry this risk.

The 'Krebs Trial'

• 30 areas of the country selected, each 100 square km
• 10 culled proactively, 10 reactively, 10 not culled
• Badgers culled through being caught in cage and then shot
• Incidence of bovine TB measured on farms inside and outside study areas
• Reactive culling suspended early after significant rise in infection
• Trial cost £7m per year
• More than 11,000 badgers killed
• Latest follow-up studies equivocal on whether benefit of proactive culling is maintained

But the Gloucestershire experience suggests it might be more expensive than culling, with the wildlife trust reporting an average cost of £51 per hectare.

The true cost of culling will not be known unless and until it happens, but farmers' leaders believe it may be in the region of £20 per hectare.
The Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust hopes it will never happen.
They, and other conservation groups, argue that a combination of tighter restrictions on farmers and vaccination will be more effective, and that in any case, badgers should not be killed as a matter of principle.
The National Trust has also begun an implementation trial, at its property at Killerton in Devon.
Other wildlife trusts are expected to begin similar projects now that the Gloucestershire group has reported its positive experience.
The UK government, meanwhile, is midway through a second consultation period on its culling proposals for England.
It is not against vaccination, but believes the approach will have much more success when an edible formulation becomes available to supplant the existing injectable dose, which could take another four to five years.
In Wales, plans are on hold following May's election of a Labour government.

PETA's list of animal ingredients and their alternatives helps consumers avoid animal ingredients in food

PETA's list of animal ingredients and their alternatives helps consumers avoid animal ingredients in food, cosmetics, and other products. Please note, however, that it is not all-inclusive. There are thousands of technical and patented names for ingredient variations. Furthermore, many ingredients known by one name can be of animal, vegetable, or synthetic origin. If you have a question regarding an ingredient in a product, call the manufacturer.
While we hope that the list below proves helpful, it is also important to realize that no one can avoid every possible animal ingredient. Being vegan is about helping animals, not maintaining personal purity.
Whether an ingredient was derived from an animal is not always clear. Many companies remove the word "animal" from their ingredient labels in order to avoid putting off consumers and to increase profit margins. Animal ingredients are used not because they are better than vegetable-derived or synthetic ingredients but rather because they are generally cheaper. Today's slaughterhouses must dispose of the byproducts of the slaughter of billions of animals every year and have found an easy and profitable solution in selling them to food and cosmetics manufacturers.
Animal ingredients come from every industry that uses animals, including the meat, dairy, egg, fishing, fur, and wool trades as well as others such as the horse-racing and rodeo industries, which send unwanted animals to slaughter. Contact PETA for our factsheets to learn more about the animals who suffer at the hands of these industries and what you can do to help.
Rendering plants process the bodies of millions of tons of dead animals every year, transforming decaying flesh and bones into profitable animal ingredients. The primary source of rendered animals is slaughterhouses, which provide the "inedible" parts of all animals killed for food. The bodies of companion animals who are euthanized in animal shelters wind up at rendering plants too. One small plant in Québec renders 10 tons of dogs and cats per week—a sobering reminder of the horrible dog and cat overpopulation problem with which shelters must cope.
Some animal ingredients do not wind up in the final product but are used in the manufacturing process. For example, in the production of some refined sugars, bone char is used to whiten the sugar; in some wines and beers, isinglass (from the swim bladders of fish) is used as a "clearing" agent.
Kosher symbols and markings are not reliable indicators on which vegans or vegetarians should base their purchasing decisions. This issue is complex, but the "K" or "Kosher" symbols basically mean that the food manufacturing process was overseen by a rabbi, who ensures that the food meets Hebrew dietary laws. Kosher foods may not contain both dairy products and meat, but they may contain one or the other. "P" or "Parve" means the product contains no meat or dairy products but may contain fish or eggs. "D," as in "Kosher D," means that the product either contains dairy ingredients or was made with machinery that also processes dairy ingredients. For example, a chocolate and peanut candy may be marked "Kosher D" even if it doesn't contain dairy because the nondairy chocolate was manufactured on machinery that also made milk chocolate. For questions regarding these and other Jewish symbols, please consult Jewish organizations or publications.
Thousands of products on store shelves have labels that are hard to decipher. It's nearly impossible to avoid tiny amounts of animal ingredients, but it's getting easier. Our list will give you a good working knowledge of the most common animal ingredients and their alternatives, allowing you to make decisions that will help save animals' lives.
Good sources of additional information are A Consumer's Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients, A Consumer's Dictionary of Food Additives, or an unabridged dictionary. All of these are available at most libraries.

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Adrenaline.
Hormone from adrenal glands of hogs, cattle, and sheep. In medicine. Alternatives: synthetics.
Alanine.
(See Amino Acids.)
Albumen.
In eggs, milk, muscles, blood, and many vegetable tissues and fluids. In cosmetics, albumen is usually derived from egg whites and used as a coagulating agent. May cause allergic reaction. In cakes, cookies, candies, etc. Egg whites sometimes used in "clearing" wines. Derivative: Albumin.
Albumin.
(See Albumen.)
Alcloxa.
(See Allantoin.)
Aldioxa.
(See Allantoin.)
Aliphatic Alcohol.
(See Lanolin and Vitamin A.)
Allantoin.
Uric acid from cows, most mammals. Also in many plants (especially comfrey). In cosmetics (especially creams and lotions) and used in treatment of wounds and ulcers. Derivatives: Alcloxa, Aldioxa. Alternatives: extract of comfrey root, synthetics.
Alligator Skin.
(See Leather.)
Alpha-Hydroxy Acids.
Any one of several acids used as an exfoliant and in anti-wrinkle products. Lactic acid may be animal-derived (see Lactic Acid). Alternatives: glycolic acid, citric acid, and salicylic acid are plant- or fruit-derived.
Ambergris.
From whale intestines. Used as a fixative in making perfumes and as a flavoring in foods and beverages. Alternatives: synthetic or vegetable fixatives.
Amino Acids.
The building blocks of protein in all animals and plants. In cosmetics, vitamins, supplements, shampoos, etc. Alternatives: synthetics, plant sources.
Aminosuccinate Acid.
(See Aspartic Acid.)
Angora.
Hair from the Angora rabbit or goat. Used in clothing. Alternatives: synthetic fibers.
Animal Fats and Oils.
In foods, cosmetics, etc. Highly allergenic. Alternatives: olive oil, wheat germ oil, coconut oil, flaxseed oil, almond oil, safflower oil, etc.
Animal Hair.
In some blankets, mattresses, brushes, furniture, etc. Alternatives: vegetable and synthetic fibers.
Arachidonic Acid.
A liquid unsaturated fatty acid that is found in liver, brain, glands, and fat of animals and humans. Generally isolated from animal liver. Used in companion animal food for nutrition and in skin creams and lotions to soothe eczema and rashes. Alternatives: synthetics, aloe vera, tea tree oil, calendula ointment.
Arachidyl Proprionate.
A wax that can be from animal fat. Alternatives: peanut or vegetable oil.
Arachidonic Acid.
A liquid unsaturated fatty acid that is found in liver, brain, glands, and fat of animals and humans. Generally isolated from animal liver. Used in companion animal food for nutrition and in skin creams and lotions to soothe eczema and rashes. Alternatives: synthetics, aloe vera, tea tree oil, calendula ointment.
Arachidyl Proprionate.
A wax that can be from animal fat. Alternatives: peanut or vegetable oil.
Aspartic Acid. Aminosuccinate Acid.
Can be animal or plant source (e.g., molasses). Sometimes synthesized for commercial purposes.
Bee Pollen.
Microsporic grains in seed plants gathered by bees then collected from the legs of bees. Causes allergic reactions in some people. In nutritional supplements, shampoos, toothpastes, deodorants. Alternatives: synthetics, plant amino acids, pollen collected from plants.
Bee Products.
Produced by bees for their own use. Bees are selectively bred. Culled bees are killed. A cheap sugar is substituted for their stolen honey. Millions die as a result. Their legs are often torn off by pollen-collection trapdoors.
Beeswax. Honeycomb.
Wax obtained from melting honeycomb with boiling water, straining it, and cooling it. From virgin bees. Very cheap and widely used. May be harmful to the skin. In lipsticks and many other cosmetics, especially face creams, lotions, mascara, eye creams and shadows, face makeup, nail whiteners, lip balms, etc. Derivatives: Cera Flava. Alternatives: paraffin, vegetable oils and fats, ceresin (aka ceresine, earth wax; made from the mineral ozokerite; replaces beeswax in cosmetics; also used to wax paper, to make polishing cloths, in dentistry for taking wax impressions, and in candle-making), carnauba wax (from the Brazilian palm tree; used in many cosmetics, including lipstick; rarely causes allergic reactions), candelilla wax (from candelilla plants; used in many cosmetics, including lipstick; also in the manufacture of rubber and phonograph records, in waterproofing and writing inks; no known toxicity), Japan wax (vegetable wax, Japan tallow; fat from the fruit of a tree grown in Japan and China).
Benzoic Acid.
In almost all vertebrates and in berries. Used as a preservative in mouthwashes, deodorants, creams, aftershave lotions, etc. Alternatives: cranberries, gum benzoin (tincture) from the aromatic balsamic resin from trees grown in China, Sumatra, Thailand, and Cambodia.
Beta Carotene.
(See Carotene.)
Biotin. Vitamin H. Vitamin B Factor.
In every living cell and in larger amounts in milk and yeast. Used as a texturizer in cosmetics, shampoos, and creams. Alternatives: plant sources.
Blood.
From any slaughtered animal. Used as adhesive in plywood, also found in cheese-making, foam rubber, intravenous feedings, and medicines. Possibly in foods such as lecithin. Alternatives: synthetics, plant sources.
Boar Bristles.
Hair from wild or captive hogs. In "natural" toothbrushes and bath and shaving brushes. Alternatives: vegetable fibers, nylon, the peelu branch or peelu gum (Asian, available in the U.S.; its juice replaces toothpaste).
Bone Char.
Animal bone ash. Used in bone china and often to make sugar white. Serves as the charcoal used in aquarium filters. Alternatives: synthetic tribasic calcium phosphate.
Bone Meal.
Crushed or ground animal bones. In some fertilizers. In some vitamins and supplements as a source of calcium. In toothpastes. Alternatives: plant mulch, vegetable compost, dolomite, clay, vegetarian vitamins.
Calciferol.
(See Vitamin D.)
Calfskin.
(See Leather.)
Caprylamine Oxide.
(See Caprylic Acid.)
Capryl Betaine.
(See Caprylic Acid.)
Caprylic Acid.
A liquid fatty acid from cow's or goat's milk. Also from palm, coconut, and other plant oils. In perfumes, soaps. Derivatives: Caprylic Triglyceride, Caprylamine Oxide, Capryl Betaine. Alternatives: plant sources, especially coconut oil.
Caprylic Triglyceride.
(See Caprylic Acid.)
Carbamide.
(See Urea.)
Carmine. Cochineal. Carminic Acid.
Red pigment from the crushed female cochineal insect. Reportedly, 70,000 beetles must be killed to produce one pound of this red dye. Used in cosmetics, shampoos, red apple sauce, and other foods (including red lollipops and food coloring). May cause allergic reaction. Alternatives: beet juice (used in powders, rouges, shampoos; no known toxicity), alkanet root (from the root of this herb-like tree; used as a red dye for inks, wines, lip balms, etc.; no known toxicity; can also be combined to make a copper or blue coloring). (See Colors.)
Carminic Acid.
(See Carmine.)
Carotene. Provitamin A. Beta Carotene.
A pigment found in many animal tissues and in all plants. When used as an additive, typically derived from plant sources. Used as a coloring in cosmetics and in the manufacture of vitamin A.
Casein. Caseinate. Sodium Caseinate.
Milk protein. In "nondairy" creamers, soy cheese, many cosmetics, hair preparations, beauty masks. Alternatives: soy protein, soy milk, and other vegetable milks.
Caseinate.
(See Casein.)
Cashmere.
Wool from the Kashmir goat. Used in clothing. Alternatives: synthetic fibers.
Castor. Castoreum.
Creamy substance with strong odor from muskrat and beaver genitals. Used as a fixative in perfume and incense. Alternatives: synthetics, plant castor oil.
Castoreum.
(See Castor.)
Catgut.
Tough string from the intestines of sheep, horses, etc. Used for surgical sutures. Also for stringing tennis rackets, musical instruments, etc. Alternatives: nylon and other synthetic fibers.
Cera Flava.
(See Beeswax.)
Cerebrosides.
Fatty acids and sugars found in the covering of nerves. May include tissue from brain.
Cetyl Alcohol.
Wax found in spermaceti from sperm whales or dolphins. Alternatives: vegetable cetyl alcohol (e.g., coconut), synthetic spermaceti.
Cetyl Palmitate.
(See Spermaceti.)
Chitosan.
A fiber derived from crustacean shells. Used as a lipid binder in diet products; hair, oral, and skin-care products; antiperspirants; and deodorants. Alternatives: raspberries, yams, legumes, dried apricots, many other fruits and vegetables.
Cholesterin.
(See Lanolin.)
Cholesterol.
A steroid alcohol in all animal fats and oils, nervous tissue, egg yolk, and blood. Can be derived from lanolin. In cosmetics, eye creams, shampoos, etc. Alternatives: solid complex alcohols (sterols) from plant sources.
Choline Bitartrate.
(See Lecithin.)
Civet.
Unctuous secretion painfully scraped from a gland very near the genital organs of civet cats. Used as a fixative in perfumes. Alternatives: (See alternatives to Musk.)
Cochineal.
(See Carmine.)
Cod Liver Oil.
(See Marine Oil.)
Collagen.
Fibrous protein in vertebrates. Usually derived from animal tissue. Can't affect the skin's own collagen. An allergen. Alternatives: soy protein, almond oil, amla oil (see alternatives to Keratin), etc.
Colors. Dyes.
Pigments from animal, plant, and synthetic sources used to color foods, cosmetics, and other products. Cochineal is from insects. Widely used FD&C and D&C colors are coal-tar (bituminous coal) derivatives that are continuously tested on animals because of their carcinogenic properties. Alternatives: grapes, beets, turmeric, saffron, carrots, chlorophyll, annatto, alkanet.
Corticosteroid.
(See Cortisone.)
Cortisone. Corticosteroid.
Hormone from adrenal glands. Widely used in medicine. Alternatives: synthetics.
Cysteine, L-Form.
An amino acid from hair that can come from animals. Used in hair-care products and creams, in some bakery products, and in wound-healing formulations. Alternatives: plant sources.
Cystine.
An amino acid found in urine and horsehair. Used as a nutritional supplement and in emollients. Alternatives: plant sources.
Dexpanthenol.
(See Panthenol.)
Diglycerides.
(See Monoglycerides and Glycerin.)
Dimethyl Stearamine.
(See Stearic Acid.)
Down.
Goose or duck insulating feathers. From slaughtered or cruelly exploited geese. Used as an insulator in quilts, parkas, sleeping bags, pillows, etc. Alternatives: polyester and synthetic substitutes, kapok (silky fibers from the seeds of some tropical trees) and milkweed seed pod fibers.
Duodenum Substances.
From the digestive tracts of cows and pigs. Added to some vitamin tablets. In some medicines. Alternatives: vegetarian vitamins, synthetics.
Dyes.
(See Colors.)
Egg Protein.
In shampoos, skin preparations, etc. Alternatives: plant proteins.
Elastin.
Protein found in the neck ligaments and aortas of cows. Similar to collagen. Can't affect the skin's own elasticity. Alternatives: synthetics, protein from plant tissues.
Emu Oil.
From flightless ratite birds native to Australia and now factory-farmed. Used in cosmetics and creams. Alternatives: vegetable and plant oils.
Ergocalciferol.
(See Vitamin D.)
Ergosterol.
(See Vitamin D.)
Estradiol.
(See Estrogen.)
Estrogen. Estradiol.
Female hormones from pregnant mares' urine. Considered a drug. Can have harmful systemic effects if used by children. Used for reproductive problems and in birth control pills and Premarin, a menopausal drug. In creams, perfumes, and lotions. Has a negligible effect in the creams as a skin restorative; simple vegetable-source emollients are considered better. Alternatives: oral contraceptives and menopausal drugs based on synthetic steroids or phytoestrogens (from plants, especially palm-kernel oil). Menopausal symptoms can also be treated with diet and herbs.
Fats.
(See Animal Fats.)
Fatty Acids.
Can be one or any mixture of liquid and solid acids such as caprylic, lauric, myristic, oleic, palmitic, and stearic. Used in bubble baths, lipsticks, soap, detergents, cosmetics, food. Alternatives: vegetable-derived acids, soy lecithin, safflower oil, bitter almond oil, sunflower oil, etc.
FD&C Colors.
(See Colors.)
Feathers.
From exploited and slaughtered birds. Used whole as ornaments or ground up in shampoos. (See Down and Keratin.)
Fish Liver Oil.
Used in vitamins and supplements. In milk fortified with vitamin D. Alternatives: yeast extract ergosterol, exposure of skin to sunshine.
Fish Oil.
(See Marine Oil.) Fish oil can also be from marine mammals. Used in soapmaking.
Fish Scales.
Used in shimmery makeup. Alternatives: mica, rayon, synthetic pearl.
Fur.
Obtained from animals (usually mink, foxes, or rabbits) cruelly trapped in steel-jaw traps or raised in intensive confinement on fur farms. Alternatives: synthetics. (See Sable Brushes.)
Gel.
(See Gelatin.)
Gelatin. Gel.
Protein obtained by boiling skin, tendons, ligaments, and/or bones in water. From cows and pigs. Used in shampoos, face masks, and other cosmetics. Used as a thickener for fruit gelatins and puddings (e.g., Jell-O). In candies, marshmallows, cakes, ice cream, yogurts. On photographic film and in vitamins as a coating and as capsules. Sometimes used to assist in "clearing" wines. Alternatives: carrageen (carrageenan, Irish moss), seaweeds (algin, agar-agar, kelp—used in jellies, plastics, medicine), pectin from fruits, dextrins, locust bean gum, cotton gum, silica gel. Marshmallows were originally made from the root of the marshmallow plant. Vegetarian capsules are now available from several companies. Digital cameras don't use film.
Glucose Tyrosinase.
(See Tyrosine.)
Glycerides.
(See Glycerin.)
Glycerin. Glycerol.
A byproduct of soap manufacture (normally uses animal fat). In cosmetics, foods, mouthwashes, chewing gum, toothpastes, soaps, ointments, medicines, lubricants, transmission and brake fluid, and plastics. Derivatives: Glycerides, Glyceryls, Glycreth-26, Polyglycerol. Alternatives: vegetable glycerin (a byproduct of vegetable oil soap), derivatives of seaweed, petroleum.
Glycerol.
(See Glycerin.)
Glyceryls.
(See Glycerin.)
Glycreth-26.
(See Glycerin.)
Guanine. Pearl Essence.
Obtained from scales of fish. Constituent of ribonucleic acid and deoxyribonucleic acid and found in all animal and plant tissues. In shampoo, nail polish, other cosmetics. Alternatives: leguminous plants, synthetic pearl, or aluminum and bronze particles.
Hide Glue.
Same as gelatin but of a cruder impure form. Alternatives: dextrins and synthetic petrochemical-based adhesives. (See Gelatin.)
Honey.
Food for bees, made by bees. Can cause allergic reactions. Used as a coloring and an emollient in cosmetics and as a flavoring in foods. Should never be fed to infants. Alternatives: in foods—maple syrup, date sugar, syrups made from grains such as barley malt, turbinado sugar, molasses; in cosmetics—vegetable colors and oils.
Honeycomb.
(See Beeswax.)
Horsehair.
(See Animal Hair.)
Hyaluronic Acid.
A protein found in umbilical cords and the fluids around the joints. Used in cosmetics. Alternatives: synthetic hyaluronic acid, plant oils.
Hydrocortisone.
(See Cortisone.)
Hydrolyzed Animal Protein.
In cosmetics, especially shampoo and hair treatments. Alternatives: soy protein, other vegetable proteins, amla oil (see alternatives to Keratin).
Imidazolidinyl Urea.
(See Urea.)
Insulin.
From hog pancreas. Used by millions of diabetics daily. Alternatives: synthetics, vegetarian diet and nutritional supplements, human insulin grown in a lab.
Isinglass.
A form of gelatin prepared from the internal membranes of fish bladders. Sometimes used in "clearing" wines and in foods. Alternatives: bentonite clay, "Japanese isinglass," agar-agar (see alternatives to Gelatin), mica, a mineral used in cosmetics.
Isopropyl Lanolate.
(See Lanolin.)
Isopropyl Myristate.
(See Myristic Acid.)
Isopropyl Palmitate.
Complex mixtures of isomers of stearic acid and palmitic acid. (See Stearic Acid.)
Keratin.
Protein from the ground-up horns, hooves, feathers, quills, and hair of various animals. In hair rinses, shampoos, permanent wave solutions. Alternatives: almond oil, soy protein, amla oil (from the fruit of an Indian tree), human hair from salons. Rosemary and nettle give body and strand strength to hair.
Lactic Acid.
Found in blood and muscle tissue. Also in sour milk, beer, sauerkraut, pickles, and other food products made by bacterial fermentation. Used in skin fresheners, as a preservative, in the formation of plasticizers, etc. Alternatives: plant milk sugars, synthetics.
Lactose.
Milk sugar from milk of mammals. In eye lotions, foods, tablets, cosmetics, baked goods, medicines. Alternatives: plant milk sugars.
Laneth.
(See Lanolin.)
Lanogene.
(See Lanolin.)
Lanolin. Lanolin Acids. Wool Fat. Wool Wax.
A product of the oil glands of sheep, extracted from their wool. Used as an emollient in many skin-care products and cosmetics and in medicines. An allergen with no proven effectiveness. (See Wool for cruelty to sheep.) Derivatives: Aliphatic Alcohols, Cholesterin, Isopropyl Lanolate, Laneth, Lanogene, Lanolin Alcohols, Lanosterols, Sterols, Triterpene Alcohols. Alternatives: plant and vegetable oils.
Lanolin Alcohol.
(See Lanolin.)
Lanosterols.
(See Lanolin.)
Lard.
Fat from hog abdomens. In shaving creams, soaps, cosmetics. In baked goods, French fries, refried beans, and many other foods. Alternatives: pure vegetable fats or oils.
Leather. Suede. Calfskin. Sheepskin. Alligator Skin. Other Types of Skin.
Subsidizes the meat industry. Used to make wallets, handbags, furniture and car upholstery, shoes, etc. Alternatives: cotton, canvas, nylon, vinyl, ultrasuede, pleather, other synthetics.
Lecithin. Choline Bitartrate.
Waxy substance in nervous tissue of all living organisms. But frequently obtained for commercial purposes from eggs and soybeans. Also from nerve tissue, blood, milk, corn. Choline bitartrate, the basic constituent of lecithin, is in many animal and plant tissues and prepared synthetically. Lecithin can be in eye creams, lipsticks, liquid powders, hand creams, lotions, soaps, shampoos, other cosmetics, and some medicines. Alternatives: soybean lecithin, synthetics.
Linoleic Acid.
An essential fatty acid. Used in cosmetics, vitamins. Alternatives: (See alternatives to Fatty Acids.)
Lipase.
Enzyme from the stomachs and tongue glands of calves, kids, and lambs. Used in cheesemaking and in digestive aids. Alternatives: vegetable enzymes, castor beans.
Lipids.
(See Lipoids.)
Lipoids. Lipids.
Fat and fat-like substances that are found in animals and plants. Alternatives: vegetable oils.
Marine Oil.
From fish or marine mammals (including porpoises). Used in soapmaking. Used as a shortening (especially in some margarines), as a lubricant, and in paint. Alternatives: vegetable oils.
Methionine.
Essential amino acid found in various proteins (usually from egg albumen and casein). Used as a texturizer and for freshness in potato chips. Alternatives: synthetics.
Milk Protein.
Hydrolyzed milk protein. From the milk of cows. In cosmetics, shampoos, moisturizers, conditioners, etc. Alternatives: soy protein, other plant proteins.
Mink Oil.
From minks. In cosmetics, creams, etc. Alternatives: vegetable oils and emollients such as avocado oil, almond oil, and jojoba oil.
Monoglycerides. Glycerides. (See Glycerin.)
From animal fat. In margarines, cake mixes, candies, foods, etc. In cosmetics. Alternative: vegetable glycerides.
Musk (Oil).
Dried secretion painfully obtained from musk deer, beaver, muskrat, civet cat, and otter genitals. Wild cats are kept captive in cages in horrible conditions and are whipped around the genitals to produce the scent; beavers are trapped; deer are shot. In perfumes and in food flavorings. Alternatives: labdanum oil (from various rockrose shrubs) and extracts from other plants with a musky scent.
Myristal Ether Sulfate.
(See Myristic Acid.)
Myristic Acid.
Organic acid in most animal and vegetable fats. In butter acids. Used in shampoos, creams, cosmetics. In food flavorings. Derivatives: Isopropyl Myristate, Myristal Ether Sulfate, Myristyls, Oleyl Myristate. Alternatives: nut butters, oil of lovage, coconut oil, extract from seed kernels of nutmeg, etc.
Myristyls.
(See Myristic Acid.)
"Natural Sources."
Can mean animal or vegetable sources. Most often in the health-food industry, especially in the cosmetics area, it means animal sources, such as animal elastin, glands, fat, protein, and oil. Alternatives: plant sources.
Nucleic Acids.
In the nucleus of all living cells. Used in cosmetics, shampoos, conditioners, etc. Also in vitamins, supplements. Alternatives: plant sources.
Ocenol.
(See Oleyl Alcohol.)
Octyl Dodecanol.
Mixture of solid waxy alcohols. Primarily from stearyl alcohol. (See Stearyl Alcohol.)
Oleic Acid.
Obtained from various animal and vegetable fats and oils. Usually obtained commercially from inedible tallow. (See Tallow.) In foods, soft soap, bar soap, permanent wave solutions, creams, nail polish, lipsticks, many other skin preparations. Derivatives: Oleyl Oleate, Oleyl Stearate. Alternatives: coconut oil. (See alternatives to Animal Fats and Oils.)
Oils.
(See alternatives to Animal Fats and Oils.)
Oleths.
(See Oleyl Alcohol.)
Oleyl Alcohol. Ocenol.
Found in fish oils. Used in the manufacture of detergents, as a plasticizer for softening fabrics, and as a carrier for medications. Derivatives: Oleths, Oleyl Arachidate, Oleyl Imidazoline.
Oleyl Arachidate.
(See Oleyl Alcohol.)
Oleyl Imidazoline.
(See Oleyl Alcohol.)
Oleyl Myristate.
(See Myristic Acid.)
Oleyl Oleate.
(See Oleic Acid.)
Oleyl Stearate.
(See Oleic Acid.)
Palmitamide.
(See Palmitic Acid.)
Palmitamine.
(See Palmitic Acid.)
Palmitate.
(See Palmitic Acid.)
Palmitic Acid.
From fats, oils (see Fatty Acids). Mixed with stearic acid. Found in many animal fats and plant oils. In shampoos, shaving soaps, creams. Derivatives: Palmitate, Palmitamine, Palmitamide. Alternatives: vegetable sources.
Panthenol. Dexpanthenol. Vitamin B-Complex Factor. Provitamin B-5.
Can come from animal or plant sources or synthetics. In shampoos, supplements, emollients, etc. In foods. Derivative: Panthenyl. Alternatives: synthetics, plants.
Panthenyl.
(See Panthenol.)
Pepsin.
In hogs' stomachs. A clotting agent. In some cheeses and vitamins. Same uses and alternatives as Rennet.
Placenta. Placenta Polypeptides Protein. Afterbirth.
Contains waste matter eliminated by the fetus. Derived from the uterus of slaughtered animals. Animal placenta is widely used in skin creams, shampoos, masks, etc. Alternatives: kelp. (See alternatives to Animal Fats and Oils.)
Polyglycerol.
(See Glycerin.)
Polypeptides.
From animal protein. Used in cosmetics. Alternatives: plant proteins and enzymes.
Polysorbates.
Derivatives of fatty acids. In cosmetics, foods.
Pristane.
Obtained from the liver oil of sharks and from whale ambergris. (See Squalene, Ambergris.) Used as a lubricant and anti-corrosive agent. In cosmetics. Alternatives: plant oils, synthetics.
Progesterone.
A steroid hormone used in anti-wrinkle face creams. Can have adverse systemic effects. Alternatives: synthetics.
Propolis.
Tree sap gathered by bees and used as a sealant in beehives. In toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant, supplements, etc. Alternatives: tree sap, synthetics.
Provitamin A.
(See Carotene.)
Provitamin B-5.
(See Panthenol.)
Provitamin D-2.
(See Vitamin D.)
Rennet. Rennin.
Enzyme from calves' stomachs. Used in cheesemaking, rennet custard (junket), and in many coagulated dairy products. Alternatives: microbial coagulating agents, bacteria culture, lemon juice, or vegetable rennet.
Rennin.
(See Rennet.)
Resinous Glaze.
(See Shellac.)
Retinol.
Animal-derived vitamin A. Alternative: carotene.
Ribonucleic Acid.
(See RNA.)
RNA. Ribonucleic Acid.
RNA is in all living cells. Used in many protein shampoos and cosmetics. Alternatives: plant cells.
Royal Jelly.
Secretion from the throat glands of worker honeybees. Fed to the larvae in a colony and to all queen larvae. No proven value in cosmetics preparations. Alternatives: aloe vera, comfrey, other plant derivatives.
Sable Brushes.
From the fur of sables (weasel-like mammals). Used to make eye makeup, lipstick, and artists' brushes. Alternatives: synthetic fibers.
Sea Turtle Oil.
(See Turtle Oil.)
Shark Liver Oil.
Used in lubricating creams and lotions. Derivatives: Squalane, Squalene. Alternatives: vegetable oils.
Sheepskin.
(See Leather.)
Shellac. Resinous Glaze.
Resinous excretion of certain insects. Used as a candy glaze, in hair lacquer, and on jewelry. Alternatives: plant waxes.
Silk. Silk Powder.
Silk is the shiny fiber made by silkworms to form their cocoons. Worms are boiled in their cocoons to get the silk. Used in cloth. In silk-screening (other fine cloth can be and is used instead). Taffeta can be made from silk or nylon. Silk powder is obtained from the secretion of the silkworm. It is used as a coloring agent in face powders, soaps, etc. Can cause severe allergic skin reactions and systemic reactions if inhaled or ingested. Alternatives: milkweed seed-pod fibers, nylon, silk-cotton tree and ceiba tree filaments (kapok), rayon, and synthetic silks.
Snails.
In some cosmetics (crushed).
Sodium Caseinate.
(See Casein.)
Sodium Steroyl Lactylate.
(See Lactic Acid.)
Sodium Tallowate.
(See Tallow.)
Spermaceti. Cetyl Palmitate. Sperm Oil.
Waxy oil derived from the sperm whale's head or from dolphins. In many margarines. In skin creams, ointments, shampoos, candles, etc. Used in the leather industry. May become rancid and cause irritations. Alternatives: synthetic spermaceti, jojoba oil, and other vegetable emollients.
Sponge (Luna and Sea).
A plantlike animal. Lives in the sea. Becoming scarce. Alternatives: synthetic sponges, loofahs (plants used as sponges).
Squalane.
(See Shark Liver Oil.)
Squalene.
Oil from shark livers, etc. In cosmetics, moisturizers, hair dyes, surface-active agents. Alternatives: vegetable emollients such as olive oil, wheat germ oil, rice bran oil, etc.
Stearamide.
(See Stearic Acid.)
Stearamine.
(See Stearic Acid.)
Stearamine Oxide.
(See Stearyl Alcohol.)
Stearates.
(See Stearic Acid.)
Stearic Acid.
Fat from cows and sheep and from dogs and cats euthanized in animal shelters, etc. Most often refers to a fatty substance taken from the stomachs of pigs. Can be harsh, irritating. Used in cosmetics, soaps, lubricants, candles, hairspray, conditioners, deodorants, creams, chewing gum, food flavoring. Derivatives: Stearamide, Stearamine, Stearates, Stearic Hydrazide, Stearone, Stearoxytrimethylsilane, Stearoyl Lactylic Acid, Stearyl Betaine, Stearyl Imidazoline. Alternatives: Stearic acid can be found in many vegetable fats, coconut.
Stearic Hydrazide.
(See Stearic Acid.)
Stearone.
(See Stearic Acid.)
Stearoxytrimethylsilane.
(See Stearic Acid.)
Stearoyl Lactylic Acid.
(See Stearic Acid.)
Stearyl Acetate.
(See Stearyl Alcohol.)
Stearyl Alcohol. Sterols.
A mixture of solid alcohols. Can be prepared from sperm whale oil. In medicines, creams, rinses, shampoos, etc. Derivatives: Stearamine Oxide, Stearyl Acetate, Stearyl Caprylate, Stearyl Citrate, Stearyldimethyl Amine, Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate, Stearyl Heptanoate, Stearyl Octanoate, Stearyl Stearate. Alternatives: plant sources, vegetable stearic acid.
Stearyl Betaine.
(See Stearic Acid.)
Stearyl Caprylate.
(See Stearyl Alcohol.)
Stearyl Citrate.
(See Stearyl Alcohol.)
Stearyldimethyl Amine.
(See Stearyl Alcohol.)
Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate.
(See Stearyl Alcohol.)
Stearyl Heptanoate.
(See Stearyl Alcohol.)
Stearyl Imidazoline.
(See Stearic Acid.)
Stearyl Octanoate.
(See Stearyl Alcohol.)
Stearyl Stearate.
(See Stearyl Alcohol.)
Steroids. Sterols.
From various animal glands or from plant tissues. Steroids include sterols. Sterols are alcohol from animals or plants (e.g., cholesterol). Used in hormone preparation. In creams, lotions, hair conditioners, fragrances, etc. Alternatives: plant tissues, synthetics.
Sterols.
(See Stearyl Alcohol and Steroids.)
Suede.
(See Leather.)
Tallow. Tallow Fatty Alcohol. Stearic Acid.
Rendered beef fat. May cause eczema and blackheads. In wax paper, crayons, margarines, paints, rubber, lubricants, etc. In candles, soaps, lipsticks, shaving creams, other cosmetics. Chemicals (e.g., PCB) can be in animal tallow. Derivatives: Sodium Tallowate, Tallow Acid, Tallow Amide, Tallow Amine, Talloweth-6, Tallow Glycerides, Tallow Imidazoline. Alternatives: vegetable tallow, Japan tallow, paraffin, ceresin (see alternatives to Beeswax). Paraffin is usually from petroleum, wood, coal, or shale oil.
Tallow Acid.
(See Tallow.)
Tallow Amide.
(See Tallow.)
Tallow Amine.
(See Tallow.)
Talloweth-6.
(See Tallow.)
Tallow Glycerides.
(See Tallow.)
Tallow Imidazoline.
(See Tallow.)
Triterpene Alcohols.
(See Lanolin.)
Turtle Oil. Sea Turtle Oil.
From the muscles and genitals of giant sea turtles. In soap, skin creams, nail creams, other cosmetics. Alternatives: vegetable emollients (see alternatives to Animal Fats and Oils).
Tyrosine.
Amino acid hydrolyzed from casein. Used in cosmetics and creams. Derivative: Glucose Tyrosinase.
Urea. Carbamide.
Excreted from urine and other bodily fluids. In deodorants, ammoniated dentifrices, mouthwashes, hair colorings, hand creams, lotions, shampoos, etc. Used to "brown" baked goods, such as pretzels. Derivatives: Imidazolidinyl Urea, Uric Acid. Alternatives: synthetics.
Uric Acid.
(See Urea.)
Vitamin A.
Can come from fish liver oil (e.g., shark liver oil), egg yolk, butter, lemongrass, wheat germ oil, carotene in carrots, and synthetics. An aliphatic alcohol. In cosmetics, creams, perfumes, hair dyes, etc. In vitamins, supplements. Alternatives: carrots, other vegetables, synthetics. (Please note that Vitamin A exists in two forms: see also Carotene, Retinol.)
Vitamin B-Complex Factor.
(See Panthenol.)
Vitamin B Factor.
(See Biotin.)
Vitamin B₁₂.
Can come from animal products or bacteria cultures. Twinlab B₁₂ vitamins contain gelatin. Alternatives: vegetarian vitamins, fortified soy milks, nutritional yeast, fortified meat substitutes. Vitamin B₁₂ is often listed as "cyanocobalamin" on food labels. Vegan health professionals caution that vegans get 5–10 mcg/day of vitamin B₁₂ from fortified foods or supplements.
Vitamin D. Ergocalciferol. Vitamin D₂. Ergosterol. Provitamin D₂. Calciferol. Vitamin D₃.
Vitamin D can come from fish liver oil, milk, egg yolks, etc. Vitamin D₂ can come from animal fats or plant sterols. Vitamin D₃ is always from an animal source. All the D vitamins can be in creams, lotions, other cosmetics, vitamin tablets, etc. Alternatives: plant and mineral sources, synthetics, completely vegetarian vitamins, exposure of skin to sunshine. Many other vitamins can come from animal sources. Examples: choline, biotin, inositol, riboflavin, etc.
Vitamin H.
(See Biotin.)
Wax.
Glossy, hard substance that is soft when hot. From animals and plants. In lipsticks, depilatories, hair straighteners. Alternatives: vegetable waxes.
Whey.
A serum from milk. Usually in cakes, cookies, candies, and breads. Used in cheesemaking. Alternatives: soybean whey.
Wool.
From sheep. Used in clothing. Ram lambs and old "wool" sheep are slaughtered for their meat. Sheep are transported without food or water, in extreme heat and cold. Legs are broken, eyes injured, etc. Sheep are bred to be unnaturally woolly and unnaturally wrinkly, which causes them to get insect infestations around the tail areas. The farmer's solution to this is the painful cutting away of the flesh around the tail (called "mulesing"). "Inferior" sheep are killed. When sheep are sheared, they are pinned down violently and sheared roughly. Their skin is cut up. Every year, hundreds of thousands of shorn sheep die from exposure to cold. Natural predators of sheep (wolves, coyotes, eagles, etc.) are poisoned, trapped, and shot. In the U.S., overgrazing of cattle and sheep is turning more than 150 million acres of land to desert. "Natural" wool production uses enormous amounts of resources and energy (for breeding, rearing, feeding, shearing, transport, slaughter, etc.). Derivatives: Lanolin, Wool Wax, Wool Fat. Alternatives: cotton, cotton flannel, synthetic fibers, ramie, etc.
Wool Fat.
(See Lanolin.)
Wool Wax.
(See Lanolin