Is bevat melkeiwitten vegan?

"Bevat melkeiwitten" is a Dutch phrase that translates to "contains milk proteins" in English, functioning on food packaging as an allergen warning or ingredient declaration. Rather than naming a single isolated ingredient, this phrase alerts consumers to the presence of dairy proteins such as casein, caseinate, or whey. These components are obtained directly from the milk of mammals, most commonly dairy cows, through separation methods such as curdling, filtration, and spray-drying during commercial dairy and cheese production.

This declaration commonly appears on packaged foods distributed in Dutch-speaking regions like the Netherlands and Belgium. Items that frequently list this phrase include commercially baked bread and pastries, chocolate, chips, ready-made sauces, and processed meat products, where milk proteins are added to improve texture, stabilize fats, or boost protein content. Because all milk proteins are derived directly from animals, any product labeled with the phrase "bevat melkeiwitten" is definitively not vegan.