By Jeanne Yacoubo, MS

A long-time VRG vegan supporter called us to report a verbal exchange with a Whittier, CA Olive Garden employee that had left her confused about the breadsticks. She asked us to look into it.

Our member told us that she often asks ingredient questions when dining out even after searching through restaurant websites for ingredient information and ingredient lists. She referred to Olive Garden’s vegan list which contains the breadsticks in the top spot. https://media.olivegarden.com/images/site/ext/pdfs/olive-garden-veg-vegan_073117.pdf

Our supporter found her Olive Garden server to be “courteous and helpful.” She was surprised that, even without asking for it, her server volunteered the information that “the breadsticks have butter but can be ordered without it.”
The VRG sent Olive Garden a message about this apparent contradiction on behalf of our member through the chain’s website contact form. This is what we asked in August 2017:

“Hello!

I was at an Olive Garden restaurant and the server told me that the breadsticks had been cooked with butter.

I see breadsticks listed on your vegetarian/vegan list as “vegan.”

Do you use margarine to cook the breadsticks? Does the margarine have dairy in it (including whey)?

Can I get just plain breadsticks without butter or margarine used to cook them?

A Guest Relations Representative informed us during a phone call:
“It was the server’s mistake. There is no butter in the breadsticks. They are not cooked with butter or margarine. Margarine and garlic salt are added later. Diners can request that it not be added. Butter is never served with breadsticks.”

We asked if any dairy ingredient such as whey or sodium caseinate were in the margarine. We also asked if there were any sugar in either the breadsticks or margarine. Lastly, we wanted to confirm that L-cysteine, a common dough conditioner that is often derived from human hair or poultry feathers, was not in the breadsticks.

After their researching, we were told in an email: “In regards to our breadsticks, they do not contain whey, sodium caseinate, or sugar.”

We were told in another phone call that “The breadsticks do not contain L-cysteine.”

Additionally, we were told in emails that:
“Margarine that’s brushed on top of the bread sticks does NOT contain dairy ingredients, whey, sodium caseinate, or any other form of caseinate such as potassium caseinate.”

“Margarine brushed on top of bread sticks does not contain sugar ingredient.”

Interested vegetarians and vegans may be interested to read other relevant information that Olive Garden has arranged on a page especially devoted to answering common vegetarian and vegan questions: http://www.olivegarden.com/nutrition/vegetarian-and-vegan-options

To support The Vegetarian Resource Group research, donate at www.vrg.org/donate

Join The Vegetarian Resource Group at http://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

More information on chain restaurants can be found at
http://www.vrg.org/fastfoodinfo.php

Vegan and vegetarian restaurants in the USA and Canada can be found at
http://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php

The contents of this posting, our website and our other publications, including Vegetarian Journal, are not intended to provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health professional. We often depend on product and ingredient information from company statements. It is impossible to be 100% sure about a statement, info can change, people have different views, and mistakes can be made. Please use your best judgment about whether a product is suitable for you. To be sure, do further research or confirmation on your own.

By Jeanne Yacoubou, MS

A long-time VRG volunteer recently asked us to look into a Sherwin-Williams (SW) paint color named Vegan with product code SW 6738. “Is it vegan?” she asked us.

SUMMARY:
The Regulatory Department at Sherwin-Williams (SWRD) told us:
SW 6738 is not a paint. It is a color code. When you chose a paint at the store, the store will tint that paint to your desired color. The store will use a combination of colorants (think food dye), add them to the paint, and mix it up for you at the point of sale. We have several options and brands of paints that you could have tinted to SW 6738 color … SW 6738 is just the name of a color, it is not a product.

After speaking to a suburban Maryland Sherwin-Williams salesperson we were told that (SW 6738 Vegan) Harmony Interior Acrylic Latex Paint (Product Code (PC) 650428188) needs five tints (all liquid in these cases) that must be blended and mixed in the paint:

White PC 650349996
New Green PC 650349400
Raw Umber PC 650349954
Yellow PC 650350002
Deep Gold PC 650350010

The regulatory department at Sherwin Williams told us the above paint and tints (that could obtain the SW 6738 vegan color) does not contain carmine, cochineal, stearic acid, gelatin, whey, casein, or milk as intentionally added ingredients. Thank you to Sherwin Williams for all their help.

BACKGROUND OF OUR RESEARCH

2014 SW Q&A Exchange on Vegan Color
In 2014 The VRG had asked Sherwin-Williams if their Vegan tint was, in fact, vegan. At that time they would not say if there were any animal ingredients or not in the tint.

Here is the 2014 exchange:
VRG initial questions:
Is this paint vegan (meaning it contains no animal products)? http://www.sherwin-williams.com/homeowners/color/find-and-explore-colors/paint-colors-by-family/SW6738-vegan/
Are your other paints free of animal ingredients?

SW initial response:
The materials and formulations of our products are proprietary so I am unable to disclose the information you are looking for. What I can tell you is what you are referring to is only a color and not a type of paint.

I hope this information is useful. Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance.

VRG Followup Question #1: Can you tell me if there are animal-derived ingredients in this paint such as gelatin or casein?
SW Followup Response #1: Again, I am sorry however the materials and formulations of our products are proprietary so I am unable to disclose specific information.

Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance.

VRG Followup Question #2: I am not asking you to provide an ingredient list.

I am asking if animal ingredients (such as gelatin or casein) are in the vegan paint

SW Followup Response #2: Thank you very much for taking the time to follow up.

Again, I apologize for any inconvenience however I am unable to disclose the contents of our paint. This is proprietary information. You can find a list of ingredients that we are legally required to disclose on an MSDS. Simply provide the name of the product you are interested and I will send you this information.

Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance.

[VRG Note: Since animal and dairy ingredients are not considered hazardous according to the government’s definition, they are not required to be listed on a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) currently renamed “Safety Data Sheets” (SDS).]

2017 SW Q&A Exchange on Vegan Color
In July 2017 we contacted Sherwin-Williams again with the same question when a long-time VRG volunteer asked us to look into it.

Catherine in the Customer Service Department at Sherwin-Williams explained that SW 6738 is a color that can be added to many different types of paint that they sell such as latex paint. We clarified our question by requesting information on both the Vegan color and on the paints which it could be made in. We wanted to know if there were any animal- or dairy-derived ingredients in either.

Catherine transferred us to the Regulatory Department at Sherwin-Williams (SWRD).

Sherwin-Williams Regulatory Department Responds
The next day after our initial call to Sherwin-Williams corporate office, we received a reply from the Regulatory Department (SWRD). Here is our initial email exchange with them when we were trying to determine how to get ingredient information from Sherwin-Williams. SWRD was extremely prompt in responding to our questions during this exchange often within minutes

VRG: Does the color SW 6738 Vegan contain any animal ingredients?

Which paints could be tinted with SW 6738?

Of those paints, which are free of all animal-derived ingredients?

I do not need any MSDS unless it shows complete ingredient information.

I am asking about animal ingredients and not about safety.

SWRD: Thank you for reaching out to us. Our group can help you.

However, we will need some more information.

Our group can look up the formula for any tint base and to see if it contains animal-derived ingredients. We kindly ask that you supply us with the product numbers and/or UPC codes for the products you are interested in. If you need a recommendation, please reach out to customer service at 1-800-331-7979. Unfortunately we are not product experts here in Regulatory as we cover all SW brands and products, thousands.

Additionally, our group does not have the color formulas either. This information is handled by our SW stores. You would have to contact your local store to obtain the product IDs for the colorants that would be used to tint a base to the color of your choice. The colorants used may be different depending on the tint base.

I apologize again that this question is not as easy to answer without more information.

VRG: Could you please explain the difference between “tint base” and “color”? In your reply you present them as if they’re different although I understand them to be synonyms.

I assume that there is a tint that you add to a paint. Then you blend it in to make the entire gallon uniform in color. How are there two distinct formulas as you seem to suggest in your reply?

Is SW 6738 a tint or a color?

SWRD: Sorry for the confusion. The tint base is the uncolored paint in the can before it is tinted at the store for the customer. Small amounts of colorants are added at the point of sale at the store to achieve the customer-chosen color. We have the formulas for the base paint and the formulas for the colorants. What we don’t know is which colorants are used and how much of them are used to achieve a specific color at the store level.

SW 6738 is not a paint. It is a color code. When you chose a paint at the store, the store will tint that paint to your desired color. The store will use a combination of colorants (think food dye), add them to the paint, and mix it up for you at the point of sale. We have several options and brands of paints that you could have tinted to SW 6738 color. Unfortunately, I cannot make a paint recommendation for you.

Customer service can help answer your questions and make you a recommendation. They are the product experts. Please reach out to them at 1-800-331-7979.

Once you decide on a paint you would like tinted to SW 6738, please provide us a UPC code or product code for the paint(s) so we can look up the formula for you. Also, we do not know which colorants (dyes) the store will add to the paint to make it your desired color. Therefore, we will need to ask them for the product number for the colorants they are going to use.

SW 6738 Vegan is just the name of a color, it is not a product. The colorants themselves are liquid but they typically have powders dispersed in them.

VRG: Thanks for all of your great help!

VRG: And now I can research tints, call a store and be given a list of colorants for the tints I select? Then I call you with that information and the name of a base paint?

Is there any way you can scroll through colorants and select for “carmine” for example?

SWRD: Yes, I will need product numbers or UPC codes to be able to pull formulas. I will need the paint information as well as the colorant information. They all have separate formulas. Reviewing formulas is a manual process unfortunately, so I would be unable to scan a group of products for particular ingredients.

Sherwin-Williams Customer Support Department Responds:
After sending in the website contact form, the Customer Support staff sent us an email. This is from an exchange of questions and answers.

Denice at SW Followup Response: None of our paints contain animal ingredients. Also none of our colors contain animal ingredients.

VRG: We spoke to Fred, a suburban Maryland Sherwin-Williams salesperson, for product code information. He was extremely helpful in providing all of the product code information for several paint types and for many colors including Vegan. He informed us that some of our paint choices would not support certain colors and suggested other paints that would. [VRG Tip: When looking to purchase vegan paint, we recommend that consumers specify both the paint and the tint for compatibility first; information on each taken separately is not useful.]

According to Fred, SW 6738 Vegan in Harmony Interior Acrylic Latex Paint (Product Code (PC) 650428188), needs five tints (all liquid in these cases) that must be blended and mixed in the paint:

White PC 650349996
New Green PC 650349400
Raw Umber PC 650349954
Yellow PC 650350002
Deep Gold PC 650350010

Some Other Sherwin-Williams Colors and Paints: Carmine Present?
Knowing that insect-derived carmine (cochineal) may be used to pigment red, pink, purple, yellow or orange tints in beverages but not knowing if this applies to paints, (although carmine is an ingredient in some craft paints, http://www.vrg.org/blog/2014/06/18/craft-glues-and-paints-mostly-petrochemical-but-carmine-present-in-some-testors-and-plaid-paints/), we asked about the product codes for all of the component tints needed to make these colors.

Fred did not have complete product code information at his store but he told us that ingredients are listed on certain bottles. For example, when we inquired about red, he stated that Sherwin-Williams has three red tints used to make many others. These are New Red, Magenta and Maroon. Fred read off ingredients from these bottles to us; carmine (cochineal) was not listed. Fred did not know if the ingredient lists on the bottles were complete so we asked the Regulatory Department about them as well.

Here are some of the colors we asked about. We also selected several different combinations of paints and sheens but Fred was able to determine if certain tints and paints were compatible. Here are Fred’s suggestions for some of the colors we wanted information about:

SW 6840 Exuberant Pink which Fred told us can be made in Interior Emerald Flat Paint (PC 650869829), needs these four tints:
White 650349996
Black 650349392
Maroon 650349962
Magenta 650349970

SW 6565 Grandeur Plum in Interior Harmony Flat Paint (PC 650428188) also needs four tints blended together:
Raw Umber 650349954
Black 650349392
Maroon 650349962
Magenta 650349970

SW 6887 Navel in Interior ProMar 200 Zero VOC Flat Paint (PC 650186927) needs only two tints:
White 650349996
New Red 650349988

Final Conclusions about Several SW Paints and Tints
The VRG in turn took these product codes to the Regulatory Department in September 2017. Here is that culminating exchange:

VRG: I’d like to know if any animal- or dairy-derived ingredients are in the paints and tints listed below.

These ingredients include:

carmine (also called cochineal)
stearic acid (or similar chemical compounds)
gelatin
whey
casein
milk

Here are the paints followed by their product codes:
Interior Emerald Flat: 650869829
Interior Harmony Flat: 650428188
Interior ProMar 200 Zero VOC Flat: 650186927

Here are the tints and accompanying product codes:

White 650349996
New Green 650349400
Raw Umber 650349954
Yellow 650350002
Deep Gold 650350010
Black 650349392
Maroon 650349962
Magenta 650349970
New Red 650349988

SWRD response:
The following Sherwin-Williams products:

650869829
650428188
650186927
650349996
650349400
650349954
650350002
650350010
650349392
650349962
650349970
650349988

do not contain carmine, cochineal, stearic acid, gelatin, whey, casein or milk as intentionally added ingredients.

This information is to the best of my knowledge, based on current formulation and information given to us by our raw material suppliers.

Thank you to Sherwin Williams for all their help.

[VRG Note: In a phone conversation, it was noted that sometimes Sherwin-Williams uses tint components from other vendors. These trademarked components appear on the Sherwin-William’s ingredient labels that they accessed to answer our inquiry about animal- and dairy-derived ingredients. The raw material supplier s may not reveal, even to Sherwin-Williams, all of the contents of the trademarked components claiming it’s proprietary information. This means that in cases where trademarked components are used we as consumers cannot know all ingredient source information.]

The contents of this posting, our website and our other publications, including The Vegetarian Journal, are not intended to provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health professional. We often depend on product and ingredient information from company statements. It is impossible to be 100% sure about a statement, info can change, people have different views, and mistakes can be made. Please use your best judgment about whether a product is suitable for you. To be sure, do further research or confirmation on your own.

To support research such as this, please donate to The Vegetarian Resource Group here: www.vrg.org/donate

Aimee Granger stated, “I am interested in vegetarianism for moral reasons, as I hope I’ve explained in my video.”

See: http://www.vrg.org/veg_videos.php#Granger

The deadline for the next video contest is July 15, 2018. See:
http://www.vrg.org/videoscholarship.php

For information about VRG’s College Scholarship Contest, see:
http://www.vrg.org/student/scholar.htm

To support The Vegetarian Resource Group scholarships and internships,
donate at www.vrg.org/donate

Are you looking for places to purchase vegan candy for Halloween? Here’s some online sources that sell vegan goodies with a Halloween theme:

http://www.naturalcandystore.com/category/vegan-halloween-candy

https://www.nowheychocolate.com/Halloween_Chocolate_s/150.htm

https://shop.enjoylifefoods.com/Halloween-Chocolate-Minis/c/EnjoyLife@Halloween

http://shop.yumearth.com/Halloween/c/YumEarth@Halloween

https://store.veganessentials.com/categories.aspx?Keyword=halloween&x=0&y=0

Twenty years ago The Vegetarian Resource Group approached college/university food service operators asking them what veggie options they offered on their campuses. The purpose was to show there was demand and to encourage them to add more options. College campuses are now doing a much better job offering vegan food.

Today we see a need to push senior facilities to do the same thing. The Vegetarian Resource Group has been contacting and searching for Senior Independent Living, Assisted Living, Nursing Home, and Other Senior Facilities that can accommodate individuals on a veggie diet. At the same time we’re encouraging them to see that the demand for vegan food will be increasing steadily in the near future.

To see VRG’s list of Vegetarian and Vegan Options in Senior Independent Living, Assisted Living, Nursing Home, and Other Senior Facilities visit: http://www.vrg.org/seniors/senior_vegan.php

If you are aware of any other senior facilities offering veggie food, please email vrg@vrg.org with the name of the facility. We’d be happy to add more places to this list.

The Vegetarian Resource Group maintains an online Guide to Vegan/Vegetarian Restaurants in the USA and Canada. Below are some recent additions. The entire guide can be found here: http://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php

To support the updating of this online restaurant guide, please donate at:
www.vrg.org/donate

Eureka Compass Vegan Food
629 Aldine St.
St. Paul, MN 55104
Even non-vegans love Eureka Compass Vegan Food! Eureka serves farm-to-table food, featuring unique creations such as Green Onion Pancakes, Garbanzo Bean and Spaghetti Squash Tacos, and Roasted Veggie Tamales! They also have gluten free options. Outdoor seating available.

Healthy Harvest Urban Farms
1616 2nd Ave.
Rock Island, IL 61201
Healthy Harvest Urban Farms has classic menu items such as a vegan BLT, Chili, and wraps. They offer specialty sandwiches like the smashed bean and avocado sandwich. Their menu is seasonal so be sure to check their Facebook for changes and updates.

La Taqueria Vegiee
Grape St. & Fern St.
San Diego, CA 92102
La Taqueria Vegiee food truck is located in the Target parking lot and serves Mexican dishes. The Ensenada taco is made with Portobello mushrooms and spices and is a clear menu favorite. Their “Carne Asada” taco has a realistic texture and taste. All the tacos are packed with flavor. The tortas are also highly recommended.

Oasis Vegan Veggie Parlor
340 Washington St.
Dorchester, MA 02121
Oasis Vegan Veggie Parlor has great food and a great vibe! Mac n “Cheese” is a very popular entrée and so is the BBQ Vegan “Chicken.” The menu changes often so be sure to check in regularly.

Onion Maiden
639 Warrington Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15210
This heavy metal, punk rock inspired food purveyor takes plant-based eating to a new stratosphere. Each dish is 100% cruelty free, including their sugar source and local ingredients are used when available. Dish names such as, Kale ‘ Em All, The Roots and Bunn O))), are both musically inspired and sure to be a deliciously bold, fresh and fun concert of flavor to the palette.

Plant Wise
15 East Deer Park Rd.
Dix Hills, NY 11746
Plant Wise offers a variety of wraps, salads, and bowls. Rolls are also available and come served in a nori sheet. They also offer combo meals, fresh juices, smoothies, and organic teas and coffees.

The next time you plan on taking a vacation, you may want to check out VRG’s links to Veggie Travel information. Whether it be a trip to Asia, South America, etc., we have some helpful contacts and information. For example, you can find links to Bed and Breakfasts around the world: http://www.vrg.org/links/vacation.htm

Links to VRG’s travel information can be found here: http://www.vrg.org/links/travel.htm

Vegan in Volume is published by The Vegetarian Resource Group and has been greatly received by people working in the food service sector, as well as those that enjoy throwing parties in their own home or simply cooking in volume. This book by Chef Nancy Berkoff, EdD, RD offers 125 vegan recipes serving 25. It also offers a lot of helpful advice including A Fast Course in Vegan Nutrition, The Mechanics of the Operation, Food Safety Pointers, and a section on Vegan Ingredients.

The quantity recipes greatly vary depending on the audience you’ll be serving. Nancy includes recipes for breakfast such as Lots of Grains Pancakes and Peachy Keen Breakfast Crumble. A section for kids serves up Squiggly Noodles and “Not-Meatballs.” For dinner parties and elegant dining for adults try French Onion and Olive Tart and Eggplant “Caviar.”

You will also find quantity recipes for special occasions such as weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, bar/bat mitzvahs, communions, and more. Enjoy Watermelon Gazpacho, Spicy Bean Cakes with Fruit Salsa, Curried Vegetables with Polenta, and Sophisticated Poached Pears. Next, move on to college campuses and try Vegetable Tagine, Two Alarm Four Bean Chili, Jumpin’ Veggie Jambalaya, and Gooey, Chewy Peanut Butter Bars.

Grab and Go Fast Food recipes include Sweet Potato Burgers, Cold Noodles with Peanut Sauce, and Fragrant and Fast Tofu Sandwich. Un-Hospital Food items include Orange and Wild Rice Salad, Sweet Potato Soup, New England Baked Beans, Eggplant Lasagna, and Cinnamony Baked Apples. And a section for senior citizens includes recipes for Chesapeake Corn Chowder, Southwest Tomato Rice, Pasta with Vegetable-Marinara Sauce, and Homestyle Molasses Cookies.

Vegan in Volume can be purchased from The Vegetarian Resource Group Book Catalog: http://www.vrg.org/catalog/

Vegan group seeks Jack or Jill of all trades good at multi-tasking for part-time job 20 hours per week in Baltimore, Maryland. $12/hour salary. Staff person clerically and physically ships vegan books, Vegetarian Journal, and other educational materials throughout the country. Does the billing, packing, mailing, and marketing of items to consumers and wholesalers. Answers phone and e-mails. Compiles information. Coordinates volunteers doing booths, events, and other activities around the country. Pays attention to details and is organized. Good writing skills. Comfortable with social media. Entrepreneurial personality helpful. Please send resume, writing sample, and cover letter addressing your short term and long term goals, interests, vegetarian and vegan knowledge, skills, strengths, and challenges to Att. Job: vrg@vrg.org

By Brigette Dumais

Bob’s Red Mill company is offering an instant organic oatmeal cup. I tried the Cranberry-Orange flavor for breakfast and it was quite a treat! All you have to do is pour boiling water in the cup, stir, wait for two minutes, and you have a delightful and filling breakfast or snack ready to go without creating dishes for you to clean up afterwards. The oatmeal cup contains more than just oats; it has chunks of almond, cranberry, and orange mixed in, as well as flax and chia. This provides a variety in the texture and adds an extra tangy flavor to the oatmeal. Bob’s Red Mill instant organic oatmeal cup satisfies the taste buds and the tummy. I’m very excited to try their other flavors which include Apple-Cinnamon, Blueberry-Hazelnut, Brown Sugar-Maple, and classic plain oats.

To learn more about this and other Bob’s Red Mill oatmeal cup products, see: http://www.bobsredmill.com/shop/oats/cups.html