NationStates Jolt Archive

Ordinary white sugar in fact. I have a question about it, a bit dull maybe but it's been bugging me. While packeted sugar (mostly silver spoon and tate & lyle here in the UK) has a green V on it indicating that it's ok for use by Vegans. Now I'm no veggie myself but I know a fair number of people that are and a few of them have said that they won't eat white sugar because fish scales (?!!) are used in the refining process to "clean" the sugar.

Considering the green V and the fact that surely the fish oils from the scales would make the sugar taste really strange and require even more "cleaning" of the sugar this can't be right. The two people that have told me this both claim that they "heard it from a friend who really knows what he's talking about". I've looked and found NO evidence for this whatsoever. Tried emailing Tate and Lyle but they didn't answer.

Does anyone actually know for a fact (not via hearsay) whether fish scales are used in the refining process of ordinary white sugar?

Wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugar#Cane) doesn't say anything about fish scales....

Ordinary white sugar in fact. I have a question about it, a bit dull maybe but it's been bugging me. While packeted sugar (mostly silver spoon and tate & lyle here in the UK) has a green V on it indicating that it's ok for use by Vegans. Now I'm no veggie myself but I know a fair number of people that are and a few of them have said that they won't eat white sugar because fish scales (?!!) are used in the refining process to "clean" the sugar.

Considering the green V and the fact that surely the fish oils from the scales would make the sugar taste really strange and require even more "cleaning" of the sugar this can't be right. The two people that have told me this both claim that they "heard it from a friend who really knows what he's talking about". I've looked and found NO evidence for this whatsoever. Tried emailing Tate and Lyle but they didn't answer.

Does anyone actually know for a fact (not via hearsay) whether fish scales are used in the refining process of ordinary white sugar?
I cannot imagine a single scenario in which fish scales would be useful in refining sugar. It makes no logical sense whatsoever.

I'm guessing they put the big green V on the packages to reassure other people like your friends, who have heard that rumour and belive it.
It's probably easier than to try and go against that rumour itself....

I think "Fish scales" is referred to some refining device...

I quite agree, it seems ludicrous. I just want to be able to say in relative certainty that it's complete rubbish the next time one of them goes off on me for not having brown sugar in the house :D

No fish scales. Some refined sugar is refined using animal charcoal however and hence is not vegetarian.

Where people got the idea about fish scales, I have no idea. Mind you, vegetarians aren't generally known for their analytical skills.

Mind you, vegetarians aren't generally known for their analytical skills.

An idea comes to mind to cause mass starvation amongst highly gullible vegetarians comes to mind.

No fish scales. Some refined sugar is refined using animal charcoal however and hence is not vegetarian.

Where people got the idea about fish scales, I have no idea. Mind you, vegetarians aren't generally known for their analytical skills.

Now that's interesting, I wasn't aware that you could make charcoal from animals but thinking about it I don't see why not. Most likely from bone at a guess and I'm aware of the filtering properties of charcoal.

I can't imagine fish scales having the best refining ability. Or perhaps any?

No fish scales. Some refined sugar is refined using animal charcoal however and hence is not vegetarian.

Where people got the idea about fish scales, I have no idea. Mind you, vegetarians aren't generally known for their analytical skills.

Nor for their understanding of human anatomy, but that's another subject entirely.

I suspect this fish scales thing might've been part of a scare of some sort by vegans that was mostly silenced with these vegan labels.

Mind you, vegetarians aren't generally known for their analytical skills.
Only because they're human.

Nor for their understanding of human anatomy, but that's another subject entirely.

I should very much call BS on that.

I think "Fish scales" is referred to some refining device...
Ha! How much would I love it if some huge steel machine was called Fish Scales and due to a misunderstanding several decades ago word spread.....?
Let me count the ways.

I´ve even heard of people using NaOH for sugar refining, but not "fish scales".

I should very much call BS on that.

Aye. Only some vegans do not understand human anatomy. Most do, but don't care and refuse to eat meat anyway for other reasons.

...

Okay, I'm being mean. My apologies.

who knows maybe sugar is made up of ground up fish scales that has had the oil removed…maybe that would explain why it clumps together when you use a wet spoon in there (not me some asshole always manages it) like when you put starfish (?) in a blender

Or maybe they pay the hostile natives of the filtering region shiny “dragon” scales

Just had an idea, perhaps with fish scales being so small they use the scales to weigh each and every grain of sugar to make sure they meet EU standards. Smaller grains go into caster sugar and the larger ones are crushed and re-weighed on the fish scales again.

I pieced it together, mostly from sugar packets.

Carbon filters are used in the production. These are usually made of animal bones or dirt (yes dirt). The former is primarily cattle bones, the latter works because of a high content of fossilized seashells. Either processes can, to the very best of my knowledge, be used for both brown & white sugar. Neither is necessary, however, nor always used. If there's a green V on it, it should be fit for vegans.

There's tonnes of info on vegan products to be found online. Google is your friend.

I pieced it together, mostly from sugar packets.
:confused: What are you referring to? Was there supposed to be a link or something in your post?

Carbon filters are used in the production. These are usually made of animal bones or dirt (yes dirt). The former is primarily cattle bones, the latter works because of a high content of fossilized seashells. Either processes can, to the very best of my knowledge, be used for both brown & white sugar. Neither is necessary, however, nor always used. If there's a green V on it, it should be fit for vegans.
Well, the fossilized seashells part might explain the fish scales legend, then.

An idea comes to mind to cause mass starvation amongst highly gullible vegetarians comes to mind.

The percentage of non-gullible vegetarians can't be very high.

Ordinary white sugar in fact. I have a question about it, a bit dull maybe but it's been bugging me. While packeted sugar (mostly silver spoon and tate & lyle here in the UK) has a green V on it indicating that it's ok for use by Vegans. Now I'm no veggie myself but I know a fair number of people that are and a few of them have said that they won't eat white sugar because fish scales (?!!) are used in the refining process to "clean" the sugar.

Considering the green V and the fact that surely the fish oils from the scales would make the sugar taste really strange and require even more "cleaning" of the sugar this can't be right. The two people that have told me this both claim that they "heard it from a friend who really knows what he's talking about". I've looked and found NO evidence for this whatsoever. Tried emailing Tate and Lyle but they didn't answer.

Does anyone actually know for a fact (not via hearsay) whether fish scales are used in the refining process of ordinary white sugar?

cattle bone char was once used in the refining process, but that isn't common at all anymore. I've never heard fish scales...

The percentage of non-gullible vegetarians can't be very high.

hey, I resemble that remark!

for expressing that sentiment, I pacifistically hope you are mauled by one of the fuzzy creatures I have avoided eating.

The truth of the matter is they're vegans. If they can find something almost universally liked by everyone, they're gonna do their best to make you feel bad about it or stop liking it, so they can feel better than you.

Psh!

hey, I resemble that remark!

for expressing that sentiment, I pacifistically hope you are mauled by one of the fuzzy creatures I have avoided eating.

I assure you, rabbits are not dangerous.

The truth of the matter is they're vegans. If they can find something almost universally liked by everyone, they're gonna do their best to make you feel bad about it or stop liking it, so they can feel better than you.

Psh!
Do we really need pointless baiting of people who have different views on food to you? The clue is in the word 'pointless'. Please stop it.

The truth of the matter is they're vegans. If they can find something almost universally liked by everyone, they're gonna do their best to make you feel bad about it or stop liking it, so they can feel better than you.

Psh!

i don't like sugar a lot, it gives me headaches, and the taste isn't that great either.

I assure you, rabbits are not dangerous.

Really? (http://www.intriguing.com/mp/_pictures/grail/large/HolyGrail181.jpg)

Do we really need pointless baiting of people who have different views on food to you? The clue is in the word 'pointless'. Please stop it.

Oh, if we can't laugh at ourselves then what's the point? Certainly I find the idea of veganism criminal if it's forced on children, but if adults want to make that choice it's totally fine.

i don't like sugar a lot, it gives me headaches, and the taste isn't that great either.

That's why I said almost universally. :D

damn I thought this was a thread about Bruce Campbell.

damn I thought this was a thread about Bruce Campbell.

No hailing to the king for you, baby!

cattle bone char was once used in the refining process, but that isn't common at all anymore.That depends largely on where you are. Different countries have different guidelines for sugar production. If memory serves, bone char filtering is used extensively in the US.

No, sometimes my fishscale is cut with sugar, but never the other way around. Seriously though, I don't know about sugar, but isinglass, a material made from fish bladders, is used to clarify some beers.

http://everything2.com/index.pl?node=white%20sugar

some cane sugar is whitened with bone charcoal. some isnt. some is advertised as not using animal products

turbinado sugar is always ok

white sugar made from sugar beets is never processed using animal products

white sugar contains no animal products.

when I was vegan I was told that white sugar can contain bone meal from animals.

I just used Stevia instead.