Glossary
What is cross-contamination?
Cross-contamination is when animal products transfer into otherwise plant-based food, through shared fryers, grills, utensils or preparation surfaces. Chips cooked in the same oil as fish, or a veggie burger on a meat grill, are common examples.
Where the term comes from
It is borrowed from food hygiene and allergen management, where it describes the transfer of pathogens or allergens between foods. Vegan usage applies the same idea to animal products.
Why do vegans avoid it?
There are two reasons and they usually sit together.
The first is ethical. Shared equipment means a trace of animal product ends up in the food, and avoiding that is part of excluding animal exploitation as far as is possible and practicable.
The second is physical. When you think of animals as individuals rather than as ingredients, food that has been in contact with dead animal flesh can be genuinely unappetising. That reaction is closer to revulsion than to principle, and for many people it is the stronger of the two.
Practice varies. Some people ask about preparation every time, others do not.