Re: Wszechobecna żelatyna
Fining agents typically used in wineries include egg whites, egg proteins, or casein (milk proteins). So far, this is good news for lacto-ovo vegetarians, but not for strict vegans. However, common fining agents also include gelatin (produced from animal bones), isinglass (made from fish bladders), and chitin (lobster and crab shells). And, while it's illegal in both France and the United States, some wine producers will even use bull's blood to fine their wines.
Fortunately, there are alternatives to animal-based fining agents. The most popular are bentonite clay, diatomaceous earth, and carbon.
With all fining agents, though, only near-undetectable traces of the material remain in the finished wine.
In that sense, the process is incredibly efficient, so some vegetarians or vegans may choose to overlook the fining materials used. But, of course, many may disagree on philosophical or religious grounds.
For those who want to make sure that the wine they drink has not been fined with animal and/or dairy products, a simple Google search for "vegan wines" will turn up more than 8 million hits. The first dozen or so sites will provide a substantial, if incomplete, list of vegan wines from all over the world to choose from and to make reasonably informed choices. If you question the fining agents used in some of your favorite wines, do not hesitate to ask your wine merchant or contact the producers of those wines (many have contact information on their Web sites).
One last note: A wine that is labeled as "organic," or made from organic or biodynamic grapes is not necessarily vegan, and wines made from grapes grown employing less sustainable methods may very well meet the vegan standard.
Powtórzmy: w winie jako gotowym produkcie, składniki odzwierzęce mogą pojawiać się w ilościach śladowych, ledwie wykrywalnych. Mój weganizm nie ma podłoża religijnego, nie jestem też ingredientystą, więc wina są dla mnie w zasadzie akceptowalne. Byłoby dziwne, gdybym nie akceptował tylko win (większość jest o wegańskim składzie), a akceptował setki innych rzeczy, w których procesie produkcji używano substancji odzwierzęcych.