FAQ
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We know everything there’s to know about cheesy bliss. Whatever questions you might have, you’ll find your answers here.
WHERE TO FIND
No, GO VEGGIE products are available to the public at grocery stores and natural foods stores throughout the U.S.
No, not at this time.
GO VEGGIE products are found in Grocery and Natural Foods Stores in the produce or dairy sections nationwide.
All products made by Galaxy Nutritional Foods will have our company and contact information noted in the distribution statement beneath the ingredient statement
PRODUCT ATTRIBUTES
Currently, only our GO VEGGIE Vegan Cream Cheese Alternatives and Shreds are certified kosher. The certifying agencies are the Orthodox Rabbinical Council (KORC) for the Cream Cheese Alternatives, the Three Line K Kosher Organization for the Style Shreds and the Orthodox Union for our Plant-Based Soy-Free Style Parmesan. No other product types are certified at this time.
Yes, all of the Vegan products are also Lactose Free, since lactose is derived from dairy.
All of our GO VEGGIE products are gluten-free with the exception of our plant-based grated style parmesan. All other products do not contain wheat, oats or barley.
Yes, all of our GO VEGGIE products are trans fat free. GO VEGGIE uses non-hydrogenated oils such as canola, soybean or rice bran oil.
Yes, but keep in mind that you will need to adjust the fat and/or moisture content of the recipe.
No, we do not recommend freezing any GO VEGGIE products as it will compromise the texture and melt.
Yes, all products with the exception of the grated Parmesan flavor toppings should be refrigerated at all times. The grated Parmesan toppings are shelf stable and do not require refrigeration until opened.
Yes, our GO VEGGIE Vegan products with the purple banner and GO VEGGIE Lactose & Soy Free products with the blue banner are all preservative free.
Yes, our GO VEGGIE style shreds are dairy, casein and soy free.
Soy is high in protein and can help lower cholesterol (as a substitute for animal protein), while soy free products are ideal for those with a soy allergy or who avoid soy in their diet. Our Deli Slices and Bars are 50 calories per serving, offer a nutritious boost with 40% calcium and 50% less saturated fat than ordinary cheese, and have no cholesterol, lactose, gluten nor soy.
QUALITY
Although it is uncommon, a dark line on the GO VEGGIE Lactose & Soy Free singles with the blue banner or our GO VEGGIE Vegan singles with the purple banner, may be the start of mold. All of our preservative free products are formulated to be free of mold until after the expiration date, however occasionally mold will begin before the expiration due to improper storage and handling. Please call our consumer affairs department at 1-416-934-5034, ext 223 for consumers, if you experience this issue.
We manufacture the GO VEGGIE Vegan Cream Cheese alternatives using a process that is very close to traditional cream cheese, but we have carefully selected a blend of nondairy ingredients (and a manufacturing plant that uses no dairy products) to ensure that the flavor and texture of GO VEGGIE Vegan Cream Cheese alternatives are as close as possible to the real thing.
We have spent a tremendous amount of time developing our GO VEGGIE Vegan shreds from natural, non dairy food materials. Our formulation work has enabled us to match the melt and stretch of dairy cheese in a completely vegan, dairy free product. Check out our new and improved stretch and melt!
The textured edge you may notice on the slice products is a result of the sealing process. The textured edge is not plastic, but rather actual product.
Similar to ordinary cheese, we do not recommend freezing GO Veggie! products. It will compromise the taste and texture.
INGREDIENTS
The natural flavors in our Vegan products are a blend of ingredients that are free of animal products, free of added MSG and free of gluten.
We do not use monosodium glutamate (MSG) flavor enhancer in any of our GO VEGGIE products.
No, we do not use any ingredients with animal rennet (the enzymes used to clot milk during the cheese-making process). The casein in our GO VEGGIE Lactose Free products is made with microbial enzymes.
GO VEGGIE Lactose Free products with a green banner and GO VEGGIE Lactose & Soy Free products with a blue banner do contain casein, a skim milk protein, which is an animal product. Additionally, various natural flavorings may also be sourced from animal products.
GO VEGGIE strives to make our products as healthy and delicious as possible, and we’re constantly studying food-related research in order to to identify and use the safest ingredients we can in our products.
Carrageenan is a naturally occurring product derived from a seaweed extract. It is commonly used in foods as a thickening agent, including GO VEGGIE products. Our GO VEGGIE Vegan Cream Cheese, GO VEGGIE Vegan Spread & Dip Minis, GO VEGGIE Vegan Shreds, GO VEGGIE Vegan Grated Parmesan Topping and GO VEGGIE Lactose Free Grated Parmesan Topping do not contain carrageenan.
While there is much to know about carrageenan, the most important distinction to make is the different types of the substance, and their role in food safety.
Carrageenan is FDA approved and has been used in foods since the 1930s both in the U.S and Europe. In the 70-plus years of carregeenan’s use in foods, not a single substantiated claim of an acute or chronic disease has been reported as arising from carrageenan consumption.
Poligeenan (or degraded carrageenan) can have harmful side effects on humans and is NOT used in any food production nor is it present in our products. It is often mistaken for carrageenan.
The only relationship between carrageenan and poligeenan is that the former is the starting material to make the latter. Poligeenan is not a component of carrageenan and cannot be produced in the digestive tract from carrageenan-containing foods.
Yes, some of our ingredients are derived from corn, including the modified food starch, lactic acid, and maltodextrin. Our Vegan Cream Cheese alternatives and Shreds contain ingredients derived from corn.
Casein is a milk protein, while lactose is milk sugar, a carbohydrate. The casein in our Lactose Free products with a green banner and Lactose & Soy Free products with a blue banner do not contain lactose. However, it is important to read labels for other milk related ingredients which may contain the milk sugar, lactose.
Maltodextrins are a family of polysaccharides derived by breaking down food starches and commonly used as food additives. The products which contain maltodextrins are our GO VEGGIE Lactose Free Blocks and Grated Topping with the green banner, as well as our Vegan Slices and Shreds with the purple banner.
The sodium levels of our GO VEGGIE Lactose Free products are slightly higher than the American Heart Association (AHA)’s recommended sodium intake. However, our Vegan Shreds, Slices and Blocks do meet all the accepted AHA requirements as heart healthy, but are not certified by the AHA.
GO VEGGIE Vegan Cream Cheese is manufactured using a traditional culturing/fermentation process that utilizes lactic acid bacteria. Traditional cream cheeses use lactic cultures that are prepared using dairy ingredients. Our culture is prepared without any dairy ingredients or carriers to ensure that it is suitable for those allergic to dairy. However, our formulation does contain coconut and soy.
Everyone has different dietary needs, and we offer a variety of brands specifically for different markets and lifestyles. Our GO VEGGIE Lactose Free products with the green banner, and GO VEGGIE Lactose & Soy Free products with the blue banner, are manufactured specifically for people who want all of the eating properties that they expect from real cheese, but cannot tolerate lactose or need lower fat products. These products contain casein; a lactose free, pure source of protein derived from skim milk. Once the casein is separated from the milk, it is free of the fat and cholesterol associated with most dairy products. Our GO VEGGIE Vegan products are dairy and lactose free, and do not contain casein, eggs, or gluten. GO VEGGIE Vegan products are available in a variety of different flavors and formats – slices, shreds, grated parmesan and an alternative cream cheese. Be sure to look out for the purple banner!
Sriracha is a type of Thai hot sauce or chili sauce made from a paste of chili peppers, distilled vinegar, garlic, sugar and salt. Like Tabasco sauce, it has become a popular household and restaurant staple and has a cult-like consumer following. From snack chips and pizza to mayo and vodka, Sriracha is on fire as the new “it” ingredient. GO VEGGIE is proud the first brand to launch a Sriracha cheese product.
ALLERGENS
No, GO VEGGIE Lactose Free, Lactose & Soy Free and Vegan products do not contain any of these ingredients.
Yes, the plant that produces our GO VEGGIE Vegan Cream Cheese does produce dairy products, but there are allergen swab methods and allergen testing methods in place before and after production to ensure the product lines are sterilized before producing the next product. After production, our GO VEGGIE Vegan Cream Cheese is tested for any trace of dairy, so there is no risk of it containing trace amounts of dairy.
There is no allergen statement present on our GO VEGGIE packaging because the FDA does not consider corn as a commonly allergenic food. The FDA recognizes only the 8 following foods as common allergens: wheat, dairy, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, fish, and eggs. Allergies are caused by proteins. Since cornstarch, lactic acid, and maltodextrin contain little to no corn protein, it is debatable whether these ingredients would cause a reaction in a corn allergic person.
PACKAGING
It’s a fresh modern look for GO VEGGIE that fits with our brand name. The new look and feel is more natural and premium and we have added plant-shaped window which allows more transparency and showcases our products and cleaner ingredients like sea salt and coconut. In addition the packaging features competitive claims compared to ordinary cheese – i.e. 50% more calcium and 40% less fat than ordinary cheese.
The color banners or bands at the top of our packaging are a means of differentiating between our different product offerings, i.e. the green banner for “Lactose Free,” the blue banner for “Lactose & Soy Free,” and the purple banner for “Vegan.” The color of our banners align with the primary coloring of our former packaging, to serve as a familiar guide for loyal consumers. Banners, in general in marketing, make claims much like “Sugar Free” or “Cholesterol Free.”
No, our products have not changed in terms of ingredients or nutritionals. If we did change our products, we would have to notify our consumers and/or change the UPCs (barcodes).
Many of our consumers have commented that they believed Lactose Free and Dairy Free to mean the same thing. To eliminate confusion, we changed our Dairy Free label to Vegan to communicate that these products are completely free of dairy and all other animal products. These products are also certified by Vegan.org and will have the certification symbol printed on the back of our packaging.
DEFINITIONS
Arrowroot flour is a type of flour obtained from the arrowroot plant and is used to maintain texture in our GO VEGGIE Vegan Shreds.
Carrageenan is a substance extracted from red and purple seaweed that is used as a thickening or emulsifying agent in food products.
Locust bean gum is a food additive (a naturally derived polysaccharide found in the seeds of the Carob tree) that we use to add and maintain texture in our cream cheese alternative
Made by combining naturally occurring flavor chemicals together to achieve a desired flavor note in a processed product. Natural flavors cannot contain any synthetic chemicals nor any ‘nature-identical’ chemicals i.e. synthesized forms of naturally occurring chemcials.
Tricalcium phosphate is an inert, natural mineral that we use to boost the calcium in our GO VEGGIE Vegan products to an identical level to that found in traditional cream cheese.
Bacterial cultures (e.g. used in cheese making) that contain no dairy products. Typically the bacteria are grown up to usable concentrations on dairy bases. Vegan cultures may be grown up on soy or other vegetable type bases.
Flavors that contain no ingredients derived from animals or animal byproducts such as milk or honey, are non-gmo sourced, and plant-based.
Vegetable glycerine is derived from plant oils and is used in our GO VEGGIE Vegan Shreds to keep them moist.
Xanthan gum is a food additive (a naturally derived polysaccharide) that we use to add and maintain texture in our cream cheese alternative.