2016 Emoji Candidates Include Vegan Options

According to the Unicode Technical Committee (UTC), images such as avocados, green salads, potatoes, and cucumbers are just a few of the 67 possible emoji candidates for 2016. Emojis are popular images used online and in text messaging that convey everything from facial expressions and food to animals and transportation. Although emojis have included some vegetables in the past, the salad and avocado have eluded vegans. The UTC—which is responsible for the development and maintenance of the coding system for emojis—has also included new animals such as owls, rhinos, sharks, butterflies, and gorillas. A final decision on these emoji candidates will be made at a May 2016 meeting, with the final selections being added to Unicode 9.0 in June.