Is chili vegan?

Chili refers to the fruit of plants belonging to the genus Capsicum, cultivated worldwide and used as a vegetable or spice to add heat and flavor to foods. On food labels, chili typically denotes dried, crushed, or ground pepper pods, though it may also indicate fresh peppers, purees, or simple extracts. Production involves harvesting the ripe fruit, washing it, and either processing it fresh or dehydrating it under controlled heat or sunlight before milling it into flakes or powder.

Chili is widely used across the food industry in hot sauces, spice blends, salsas, marinades, savory snacks, and prepared meals. It is derived entirely from botanical sources, and standard processing requires no animal products, animal byproducts, or animal-derived processing aids. Because its origin is strictly plant-based, chili is vegan.