Is unt vegan?

Unt is the Romanian word for butter. It is a traditional dairy product produced by churning fresh or fermented cream until the milk fat separates from the liquid buttermilk. The milk used to produce unt is most commonly sourced from cows, though it can also be made using the milk of sheep, goats, or water buffalo.

On ingredient labels, unt appears on packaged goods produced in or imported from Romania and Moldova. It is widely listed in baked goods, sweet pastries, biscuits, chocolates, dairy spreads, ready-made meals, and various savory sauces.

Unt is not vegan because it is an animal-derived ingredient made entirely from mammalian milk. Because the production of butter relies directly on animal dairy, any food item listing unt as an ingredient is unsuitable for a vegan diet.