This new banknote is super secure and free of animal fat

Why plastic cash is the future
Why plastic cash is the future

Super secure and suitable for vegans, the new €50 note went into circulation on Tuesday.

The orange banknote has a number of new security features, including a secret window. When held against the light, it reveals a portrait of Europa, a figure from Greek mythology.

Crucially for some, the new €50 ($53) notes are printed on pure cotton fiber paper and do not contain tallow, a substance derived from animal fat.

The news that the U.K.'s new polymer £5 note contained traces of tallow sparked a backlash among some vegans and vegetarians, as well as religious groups.

A petition against the British note gathered 130,000 signatures and prompted the Bank of England to review its composition. The bank said it intended to use palm oil as an alternative to tallow in the future.

Related: These countries also have animal fat in their money

The €50 accounts for 45% of all euro banknotes. There are over 9 billion of them in circulation -- more than the €5, €10 and €20 notes put together.

50 euro

However, the €50 is also the choice of counterfeiters, which is why the new designs includes features designed to make it easier to recognize a fake.

The ECB encourages people to check banknotes in three steps: feel them for raised print, look for the secret portrait, and tilt them to reveal a hologram feature.

Related: 500 euro bill is being killed off

The new design also includes features that disappear when viewed under infrared and ultraviolet lights, which should help cash handlers quickly determine whether a banknote is authentic.

The redesigned €50 note is part of a second generation of banknotes issued by the European Central Bank. The €50 is the fourth denomination to be introduced in the series, after the €5, €10 and €20.

Euros are used by 338 million people across the 19 countries of the euro area.

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