Is spice vegan?

A spice is an aromatic vegetable substance used primarily for seasoning food rather than for nutritional value. By regulatory standards, such as those established by the United States Food and Drug Administration, spices are derived exclusively from whole, broken, or ground plants. These sources include roots, barks, seeds, stems, buds, or fruits, with culinary leaves typically categorized separately as herbs. Common examples include cinnamon, black pepper, cumin, paprika, and ginger. They appear on the labels of diverse manufactured foods, including savory snacks, baked goods, sauces, marinades, prepared frozen meals, and dry seasoning blends.

spice is vegan because food labeling regulations restrict the term solely to plant-derived materials. Animal tissues, dairy derivatives, eggs, and insect substances cannot legally be listed as spices. Processing generally consists of harvesting, drying, cleaning, and mechanically grinding or crushing the plant matter, typically without the involvement of animal-based processing aids. Consequently, any ingredient declared on an ingredient list simply as spice is entirely of botanical origin and fits a vegan diet.