Vegetarian Butter?

[msnau]

Hello all,

I need some advice regarding the availability of vegetarian butter in the Netherlands.

According to Vegetarian site NVB the only Bertolli product which is vegetarian is the margarine ("voor op brood"): http://www.vegetariers.nl/keurmerk_producten_detail.asp?id=33

The ingredients for the butter products ("ongezouten" and "voor kooken bakken en braden") seem to be the same as the margarine so I am not sure why the butter product is not marked as vegetarian?

Bertolli ingredients and information can be found on: http://www.bertolli.nl/producten/?id=1276722

Can someone please advise whether Bertolli butter is vegetarian?

Also, any advice in general on vegetarian butter availability and products would be gratefully received.

Thank you.

[Meneer de Uil]

Lots of vegetarian products are available at Natuurwinkels . Check vestigingen for a store near you.

[B@ñ@ñenschuimpje]

According to Vegetarian site NVB the only Bertolli product which is vegetarian is the margarine ("voor op brood"): http://www.vegetariers.nl/keurmerk_producten_detail.asp?id=33

Hi,

you also have to understand that in the Netherlands, for one reason or another, producers are quite reluctant to label products 'vegetarian'. There are only very few that actually bother to obtain the approval from NVB to use the official 'approved for vegetarians' label. (One reason may be that producers have  to pay for the right to use this label.)
So, there are several margarines in the Netherlands that are vegetarian, but only the Bertolli is officially labeled, and unlike in the UK there are not many producers that label their vegetarian margarine in a different way.

Also, you have to beware of 'halvarine' products, which may contain gelatin.

Finally, I don't think you will find any salted margarine in the Netherlands. Perhaps some dairy butter is salted, but even that is very rare (and probably imported from the UK ).

[Eelco]

So there are also brands of non-vegetarian butter? Thus far, I assumed butter was always vegetarian (not vegan, of course) - regardless of whether they have NVB approval or not. The E471 additive is in virtually all cases vegetarian, isn't it? Or am I missing something?

I was aware of the fact that flavored yogurt or pudding may contain gelatin (yummie ), but I can't imagine for what reason one would add gelatin to low-fat margarine. Educate me!

[B@ñ@ñenschuimpje]

but I can't imagine for what reason one would add gelatin to low-fat margarine. Educate me!

For instance, Becel Light contains gelatin (just the first example I found). I suppose the gelatin is added to compensate for the increased water contents, in order to make the substance more solid.

(As an aside, I think that Becel is the Dutch equivalent of Flora, although the products may actually be different)

[Eelco]

That's a likely explanation. Gelatin appears to be omnipresent in low-fat margarine. What about regular margarine? Yet another thing to check in the supermarket - and my friend already thinks I am overdoing  .

[Selly]

That's a likely explanation. Gelatin appears to be omnipresent in low-fat margarine. What about regular margarine? Yet another thing to check in the supermarket - and my friend already thinks I am overdoing  .

I think gelatin in regular margarin is very rare.
Sometimes Omega 3 and 6 are added, the source of this is not always vegetarian (in cases when they use fish).
In 2006 Becel confirmed to J@n that "Becel Dieet" is suitable for vegetarians

[Sam]

I always get confused when people call margarin butter...
Butter is the dairy product originating from a cow. Regular butter (roomboter) is vegetarian because the producer is not allowed to add additives. There are some light and spreadable versions that can have other ingredients added, very frequently water but it then it is likely it also contains gelatin. If you stick to roomboter you should be OK.
Margarin and other similar spreads (including "bak and braad" products) are not dairy based and may contain animal fat, and are therefore not vegetarian. Bertolli is indeed one of the few types of vegetarian margarin. Animal-derived vitamin D is a frequently occurring ingredient in margarin by the way.

[msnau]

Thank you all for the information on Margarine.

Thanks especially to Sam for the advice on Roombotter.  If I look for Roombotter its pretty much guaranteed that its Vegetarian.

Thanks again.

[Hausfrau]

Now I also have to find new Margarine.

Ah, the bliss of ignorance....