Are oxo cubes vegan?

[Asleep on a sunbeam]

I'm doing to Sweden tomorrow to see my brother and he just asked me if oxo vegetable stock cubes are vegan (he's vegetarian). I tried using the search function, but when you try even typing in "vegetable" and no results come up, clearly something is going wrong.

So:
Does anyone know if oxo vegetable stock cubes are vegan?

Thanks a lot, ASOAS

[Big Good Wolf]

Looks like it at first glance, http://www.oxo.co.uk/products/stock-cubes/ although listing both "flavouring" and "natural flavourings" makes me wonder what the unnatural ones are.
A bit more searching though and "Disodium 5'-ribonucleotides" turns out to be not vegan, according to wikipedia

[JP]

bollocks, i have a box of them

[Asleep on a sunbeam]

Thanks for the fast replies (which is more than I can say about oxo).

I gave up and tried using their online form to contact them, only to be required to give them my home address and surname etc.

I rang the help line and didn't get anywhere (as the service was unavailable). I rang the head office, and no-one picked up.

The premier foods link on the oxo website...is dead.

I think premier foods are having some "we're all assholes and don't want to be contact" issues .

The thing is they are suitable for vegetarians, but the e number information (for E635, the one mentioned above) I manage to get only mentions meat, and no other sources.

Oh this is all highly confusing.

Edit:
Head office finally picked up, and put my through, currently on the worst hold I've heard before. Every 5 seconds !we are sorry to keep you waiting...blah blah blah"

And in between that the same 5 or 6 piano notes is repeating.

But, I persevered, I got through, and I spoke to someone:
"It says it's suitable for vegetarians..."

He took my name, number, and they get back to me (apparently).

I think they just hate their customers personally. And judging from their past behavior (terrible websites, unreachable call centres) I will guess that they won't get back to me.

[xJimx]

I recall Oxo cubes used to be listed in the Vegan Society's 'Animal Free Shopper' but then the recipe was changed & they were no longer vegan for some reason. I tend to just buy the Kallo ones in Tesco thesedays.

[Big Good Wolf]

Wikipedia says "Guanylates and inosinates are generally produced from meat, but partly also from fish" which isn't very clear.
"generally produced from meat" sounds like there's a vegan option, but what about the fish bit ? Is that unavoidable ?

Edit;
A bit more internet research and we've got E635 is a mixture of E626 " Commercially prepared from yeast extract or sardines." & E630 "Commercially prepared from meat or fish (sardines). May also be produced by bacterial fermentation of sugars".
http://www.food-info.net/uk/e/e635.htm
http://www.food-info.net/uk/e/e626.htm
http://www.food-info.net/uk/e/e630.htm

So, if Oxo are claiming it's vegetarian, they must be using the yeast and sugar derived version.
Things like this always make me wonder who checks up on manufacturers claims and how trustworthy they are though.

[fredrikw]

I have no clue about oxo cubes, but I'm a bit intrigued how this is related to your visit to Sweden. we have plenty of vegetable stock here that is completely vegan that'll cover your whole trip

where in Sweden are you going?

[muchluv]

according to the online Animal free shopper, the vegetable ones aree. However the vegan society only check a product is vegan if it is getting the vegan society logo. Please let us know what is said.

[Hiking Fox]

OXO vegetable stock cubes are absolutely disgusting; little more than salt and artificial flavourings. I'd either use proper stock cubes or make your own stock like I do (easy but takes more time).

[Asleep on a sunbeam]

I have no clue about oxo cubes, but I'm a bit intrigued how this is related to your visit to Sweden. we have plenty of vegetable stock here that is completely vegan that'll cover your whole trip

where in Sweden are you going?

Someone did ring back, much to my suprise:

They are vegan!



Wow, lots of activity on this thread .

I was going to Stockholm, but to see my brother, and he had them in so wanted to know if they were vegan or not (he's English but married a Swede) so he could know if he could use them in food I was having.

He also took me to Herman's which was lovely!

We also got 'threatened' by armed guards at the palace (well they shouted "halt" at us, but it counts). One of the highlights of my visit ^^.


Thanks for all the help with the oxo cubes guys .

[Asleep on a sunbeam]

OXO vegetable stock cubes are absolutely disgusting; little more than salt and artificial flavourings. I'd either use proper stock cubes or make your own stock like I do (easy but takes more time).

Don't get me wrong, I don't use them myself, but when in Rome, I try to be as flexible as possible.

[JP]

awesome that they are vegan.

means that i am still vegan

i think they are FINE, but my culinary standards are not very high...

[mabli]

Phew!! I think they're fine and also very cheap in home bargains so good news

[Asleep on a sunbeam]

I think at the very least, it's good to have a thread about vegetable oxo cubes definitely being vegan on the internet, and that there is no controversy that vegetable oxo cubes are suitable for vegans. It is a fact that vegetable oxo cubes are vegan.


--Definitely isn't google bombing--