Subsequent to the agreement between ICEA and the Italian Vegetarian Association (AVI), processing companies producing vegetarian food may request to be certified by ICEA, for both organic and non organic food.

In the first case, if the vegetarian food is also organic, this will be specified under the trademark: in this way infact, the company will obtain a double certification, whereas vegan food will be marked "VEGAN" inside the trademark.

"Vegetarian food" excludes, in any step of its own production, the use of animal products obtained by slaughtering  and/or abuse of animals, and "vegan food" excludes any use of products coming from animals (except microbial species).

Sometimes products are taken to be “vegetarian” although they are not, because we often are not aware that many types of bread contain animal fat (lard), or that most of the rennet used for cheese is from animal origin (from calf stomach); or that technological aids from animal origin are used in sugar processing, in mineral water bottling or in wine production.

At present 153 restaurants where vegetarian dishes are served have been identified as using the AVI trademark, issued by AVI according to its own guide lines. Such trademark is already visible on more than 170 products (of big companies as well, such as Autogrill, Biorigin, Conbio, Noberasco, Nuova Terra, and Soster).

It is a trade mark that almost six million Italian vegetarians are already acquainted with.

Following AVI guidelines, ICEA has developed a product/process certification scheme that complies with the UNI EN 45011 rule, in order to extended it gradually to all operators involved.
According to a check plan arranged with AVI, ICEA will perform the audit, that will be then evaluated by a specific technical committee (CoCerVeg), and will also take charge of the ensuing certification activity and the use of the trademark to be reproduced on the label or on the material advertising the product.

The agreement with AVI confirms ICEA's commitment to the attaintment of sustainable environmental growth that also safeguards the wellness of animals, and it is strongly related to another activity recently started in collaboration with the Anti Vivisection League (LAV): the certification of Cruelty Free Cosmetics, not tested on animals.