🌱 "May contain traces of ..."

What does this note "May contain traces of ..." actually mean?

You will find this label on each of our products, which is aimed specifically at people who suffer from food intolerances or allergies. Smallest amounts of impurities in the food can trigger allergic reactions, and we want to avoid such reactions with the help of this information.

Unlike the legally required allergen labeling, the statement "May contain traces of ..." or "Contains traces of ..." is a voluntary statement and refers to ingredients that are not part of the recipe. As soon as we have knowledge that other allergens are processed on the same production route in addition to our product, we indicate this information on our labels. Such unintentional transfers are also known as cross-contamination and can occur, for example, by using the same rooms or equipment, where small amounts of the previous product may still be present despite thorough cleaning measures.

Important. Traces are not part of the recipe.

Accordingly, plant-based foods that contain only non-animal ingredients and bear the statement "May contain traces of egg" and/or "May contain traces of milk" are still declared vegan. Thus, all vegans can be sure that the recipe of their favourite product does not contain these ingredients.

Especially when you buy dried fruit, you may often read the statement, "May contain traces of sulphur dioxide / sulfites". Sulphur or sulfite are used as preservatives to protect the food from microbial spoilage. Just as with our other products, this statement does not mean that the product is sulfurized, but that sulfurized goods are processed in the same production rooms.

To conclude:

Not all products that bear a trace indication necessarily contain the respective ingredients. On the other hand, it cannot be assumed 100% that no traces of allergens are found if the reference is mentioned.