# Contains herring? Thank you for pointing this out. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 11, 2011, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/contains-herring-thank-you-for-pointing-this-out/599245 "2011-10-11T02:34:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2011, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/contains-herring-thank-you-for-pointing-this-out/599245/1 "2011-10-11T02:34:05Z")
So-it’s time to break the Yom Kippur fast, and we have a jar of Vita brand herring in wine sauce (No I won’t agree that cream sauce is better-start another thread for that!). Anyway, lacking reading matter, I decide to peruse the ingredient list. _Herring (good), high-fructose corn syrup (not so good), onions, vinegar, etc…_ Then I notice an extra line on the label, in all caps: CONTAINS HERRING Really? My herring in wine sauce contains herring? Even though the first ingredient listed is hmmm…let me see…HERRING! I never would have guessed. Thank you so much oh labelling geniuses at the Vita company. Without you I never would have realized that I was eating herring. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2011, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/contains-herring-thank-you-for-pointing-this-out/599245/2 "2011-10-11T02:45:12Z")
I’ve been wondering what that tin of sardines contained that I had the other night. I mean, it could have been herring, but it didn’t say it was, so the mystery continues. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2011, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/contains-herring-thank-you-for-pointing-this-out/599245/3 "2011-10-11T02:45:52Z")
SOYLENT GREEN ISN’T SOY AND LENTILS! I HAVE A PEOPLE ALLERGY! I often see “made in a facility that processes nuts” etc. on some peanut products. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2011, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/contains-herring-thank-you-for-pointing-this-out/599245/4 "2011-10-11T03:23:20Z")
It’s almost certainly a legal/FDA requirement that potential allergens be identified, no matter how obvious. ---
**Author:** ![tomboy64](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dbc845/32.png) [@tomboy64](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomboy64)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2011, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/contains-herring-thank-you-for-pointing-this-out/599245/5 "2011-10-11T03:28:10Z")
surely you should be happy what if it read “does NOT contain herring” and you had finished eating it? ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2011, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/contains-herring-thank-you-for-pointing-this-out/599245/6 "2011-10-11T03:41:01Z")
> [@tomboy64](#): > > surely you should be happy > > what if it read “does NOT contain herring” and you had finished eating it? Well, at that point it would in fact no longer contain herring, so what’s the problem again? ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2011, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/contains-herring-thank-you-for-pointing-this-out/599245/7 "2011-10-11T03:54:08Z")
Mmmmm herring. Wine sauce is the best. Cream sauce, bleah. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2011, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/contains-herring-thank-you-for-pointing-this-out/599245/8 "2011-10-11T06:17:15Z")
> [@tomboy64](#): > > surely you should be happy > > what if it read “does NOT contain herring” and you had finished eating it? Even still, that’s much better than “May contain herring”. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2011, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/contains-herring-thank-you-for-pointing-this-out/599245/9 "2011-10-11T07:30:13Z")
In case you’re wondering, my jar of cream sauce herring (I like both kinds) does not make this claim. But there’s a tiny burst announcing that it’s “made with sour cream.” ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Q](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/898d66/32.png) [@Johnny\_Q](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Q)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2011, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/contains-herring-thank-you-for-pointing-this-out/599245/10 "2011-10-11T07:40:36Z")
> [@](#): > > But there’s a tiny burst announcing that it’s “made with sour cream.” I suppose it’s better than finding out it was made with fresh cream that had gone off. ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2011, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/contains-herring-thank-you-for-pointing-this-out/599245/11 "2011-10-11T10:50:24Z")
> [@psychobunny](#): > > Then I notice an extra line on the label, in all caps: > > CONTAINS HERRING Is it written in red, too? Because if so, then it’s probably not as important as it might seem to be, and you should focus your attention on something else (possibly the high fructose corn syrup). ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2011, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/contains-herring-thank-you-for-pointing-this-out/599245/12 "2011-10-11T15:12:55Z")
I know the other “Contains X” additions are due to them being popular allergens. The idea is that, while shopping, you can just look for that part, and not have to read the entire ingredient list. But is Herring a popular allergen? ---
**Author:** ![tomboy64](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dbc845/32.png) [@tomboy64](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomboy64)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/contains-herring-thank-you-for-pointing-this-out/599245/13 "2011-10-12T03:22:28Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > Well, at that point it would in fact no longer contain herring, so what’s the problem again? a good point - and in fact they could have that on the inside bottom of the can. ---
**Author:** ![genXmalcontent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8baadc/32.png) [@genXmalcontent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/genXmalcontent)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/contains-herring-thank-you-for-pointing-this-out/599245/14 "2011-10-12T03:41:51Z")
It’s a legal thing required by the FDA. And since herring is the common name, they are required to, but have the option to call it either herring or fish. [http://www.fda.gov/food/resourcesforyou/consumers/ucm079311.htm](http://www.fda.gov/food/resourcesforyou/consumers/ucm079311.htm) "The law requires that food labels identify the food source names of all major food allergens used to make the food. This requirement is met if the common or usual name of an ingredient (e.g., buttermilk) that is a major food allergen already identifies that allergen’s food source name (i.e., milk). Otherwise, the allergen’s food source name must be declared at least once on the food label in one of two ways. The name of the food source of a major food allergen must appear: In parentheses following the name of the ingredient. Examples: “lecithin (soy),” “flour (wheat),” and “whey (milk)” – OR – Immediately after or next to the list of ingredients in a “contains” statement. Example: “Contains Wheat, Milk, and Soy.” ---
**Author:** ![genXmalcontent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8baadc/32.png) [@genXmalcontent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/genXmalcontent)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/contains-herring-thank-you-for-pointing-this-out/599245/15 "2011-10-12T03:46:31Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I know the other “Contains X” additions are due to them being popular allergens. The idea is that, while shopping, you can just look for that part, and not have to read the entire ingredient list. > > But is Herring a popular allergen? That’s because herring is fish, which is a popular allergen. However, you have presented an excellent question because, at least in my circle of friends and family, I am alone in my like of herring:D ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/contains-herring-thank-you-for-pointing-this-out/599245/16 "2011-10-12T05:01:33Z")
Amongst my Purim take last year was a little bag of almonds. On the back, it said “Ingredients: Almonds”, and below that, “Warning: this product contains almonds.” Basically, same thing you just experienced.