No, lysozyme isn't vegan: it's made from egg whites

The full answer

Lysozyme (E1105) is an enzyme taken from hen egg whites. Cheesemakers add it to stop bacteria from splitting wheels of hard cheese as they age.

That means it isn't vegan, and it's an egg allergen. It's fine for lacto-ovo vegetarians, since no animal is slaughtered to make it.

It's easy to miss because it's mostly used in cheese, which vegans already skip, and in some wines, which rarely list their ingredients. In the EU, it must be labeled as egg, so look for "egg" or "lysozyme (egg)".

Vegetarians who avoid rennet should check hard cheese labels anyway: many cheeses that use lysozyme, such as Grana Padano, are also made with animal rennet.

What to look for on the label

• "Lysozyme", "E1105" or "egg" on cheese labels
• Parmigiano Reggiano doesn't use lysozyme
• Wines labeled vegan avoid egg-based processing aids

Other diets

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