Last reviewed May 2026 · 1 min read

Is Castoreum vegan?

Also known as: Beaver gland extract

Not Vegan

Derived from animals — avoid.

In short

No — Animal secretion.

01 · The basics

What is Castoreum?

An anal secretion from beavers used in the past as a vanilla flavoring.

02 · The source

Animal secretion. Not vegan.

03 · Alternatives

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Frequently asked

Is vanilla flavoring made from beavers?

99.9% of modern vanilla is synthetic or from beans. Castoreum is extremely rare and expensive today.

Commonly found in

Historical food flavoringLuxury perfumes

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Clarified butter commonly used in Indian cooking.

A semi-solid white fat product used in baking and frying.

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