Is garden cress vegan?

Garden cress is a fast-growing, edible annual herb in the Brassicaceae family, closely related to mustard and watercress. Native to parts of the Mediterranean and southwest Asia, the plant is cultivated globally for its peppery leaves, stems, and seeds. Cultivators grow the herb from seed in soil or hydroponic systems, harvesting the young sprouts or mature foliage through standard mechanical cutting, washing, and packaging. It commonly appears on food labels for packaged salad mixes, microgreens, fresh sandwich garnishes, dried herb blends, and specialized vegetable soups.

Garden cress is classified as vegan because it is an agricultural plant product with no animal origin. Neither the cultivation of the herb nor the harvesting and processing steps require the use of animal products, byproducts, or animal-derived processing aids. As a purely botanical ingredient, garden cress is completely suitable for vegan consumers in all standard food applications.