What is Bovril made of?

Bovril contains 43 percent beef stock and 22 percent yeast extract. Other major ingredients are waxy maize starch and dehydrated beef. Potential allergens include celery, barley and eggs.

Beef and beef stock were removed from the ingredients in Bovril during the beef export ban from 2004 to 2006. The manufacturers substituted yeast extract, but the vegetarian version never became popular. Nevertheless, Marmite, a similarly flavored, yeast-based paste, has a larger market share.

Vitamin additives, included in the minor ingredients, led to a ban on Bovril imports to Canada. Marmite, Irn-Bru, Lucozade and Ovaltine were also banned.

Bovril is available online through Amazon.com.