Overview
EN ISO 23662:2024 (ISO 23662:2021) specifies definitions and technical criteria for foods and food ingredients that are suitable for vegetarians (ovo‑lacto, ovo, lacto) or vegans, and for associated food labelling and claims. Adopted by CEN in January 2024, the standard is intended for business‑to‑business (B2B) communication, the food trade and food labelling. It applies only post‑harvest/collecting and does not cover human or environmental safety, socio‑economic factors (e.g., animal welfare, fair trade), religious requirements or packaging material characteristics.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Definitions: Precise terms for animal, food, ingredient, food additive, processing aid, carrier, label, labelling, claim and food business operator (FBO) - helping consistent use of “vegetarian” and “vegan” terminology across supply chains.
- Technical criteria by diet type:
- Criteria for ovo‑lacto‑vegetarians, ovo‑vegetarians, lacto‑vegetarians and vegans, including which products, derivatives or components are permitted or excluded.
- Inclusion of additives, flavourings, enzymes, carriers and processing aids within the scope - compound ingredients must each meet the relevant technical criteria.
- Cross‑contamination controls:
- Requirement to design production, processing and distribution stages in conformity with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) to avoid unintended presence of non‑compliant substances.
- When production lines are shared, thorough cleaning or comparable measures must be carried out before starting production of vegetarian/vegan products.
- Animal testing:
- FBOs and related companies shall not have carried out animal testing for the final product bearing a vegetarian/vegan claim (with specifics provided in the standard).
- Labelling and claims:
- Technical requirements for making vegetarian/vegan claims in B2B communications, food trade and on product labelling to support fair practice and clarity.
Applications and who should use it
- Food manufacturers, ingredient suppliers and food processors creating vegetarian or vegan products.
- Product developers and quality assurance teams implementing vegetarian/vegan labelling, ingredient panels and cleaning regimes.
- Regulatory affairs, marketing and procurement teams engaged in B2B contracts, international food trade and label claims.
- Certification bodies and auditors assessing conformity of production practices and claims.
Related standards and references
- The standard references definitions and regulatory sources such as Codex Alimentarius and EU terminology used for food additives and carriers (as cited within the document).
- Useful for organizations aligning internal specifications, product claims and supply‑chain documentation with international best practice for vegetarian labelling and vegan certification.
Keywords: EN ISO 23662:2024, ISO 23662, vegetarian labelling, vegan labelling, food labelling standard, technical criteria for vegetarians, GMP, food business operator.