Is Quorn/Mycoprotein tested on Animals?

With Quorn releasing a vegan range of goodies this Autumn there has been lots of back and forward about whether Quorn is animal tested.

There are very few online sources for anything so I thought I’d post my modest contribution.

First, a quick clarification. Mycoprotein is a type of Fungi and the the base of Quorn. Quorn are pretty much the only company who uses Mycoprotein.

Here is The Vegan Society’s tweet which seems to be the “Yes it’s animal tested” source:

I wrote to Quorn to ask if they could comment on the tweet (since they didn’t reply to it publicly). Here’s the reply I got:

Dear Sami

Further to your recent email.

Is Mycoprotein tested on animals?

Mycoprotein was first discovered by Rank Hovis McDougall (RHM) in 1968. In order to satisfy the requirements of the Governments Ministry of Agriculture Fishery and Foods that Mycoprotein was safe for human consumption, a series of animal feeding trials were requested to be carried out.

Since 1995 there have been no further requirements for feeding trials and there are categorically no plans or requirements to carry out any additional work.

In a September 2015 statement, The Vegan Society said “It is good news that a major food manufacturer such as Quorn is seeking to meet consumer demand by producing an animal-free version of their products.”

We hope this clarifies our position.

Kind regards
Consumer Services Dept

I’ve looked but not been able to find the tweet from TVS they’ve mentioned, if I get hold of it I’ll add a link,

So yes, Quorn is animal tested, but it is no longer animal tested. So now it comes down to whether you’re happy to purchase a product with essentially a “Fixed cut off date” animal testing policy or whether you’re in the “Never Ever” animal testing group.

Before jumping to assumptions about where you’re Ideology lies work out where it actually lies, don’t boycott Quorn’s attempt to do a good thing but not every other company who has a fixed cut off date.

Read up on the different animal testing policies, look at your lifestyle, and make an educated decision. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.

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