Vegan Australia has taken aim at updated Australian dietary guidelines due for release in the second half of 2012, claiming they reinforce the abuse of animals that are killed for consumption.

It said it was disappointed the guidelines didn't consider the way food was sourced or its impact on the environment.

``We reject the assumption that meat be the default option for sourcing protein,'' the group said in a joint submission with the Vegan Society of NSW to the National Health and Medical Research Council review of the draft guidelines.

``We strongly believe that the guidelines, in their current format, are woefully inadequate as they do not consider the way a food is sourced or its method of production.''

The research council is reviewing both the draft dietary guidelines and the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating.

Vegans don't eat animal products and Vegan Australia's submission calls on the federal government to rename one of the five key food groups.

It wants the fourth group - behind vegetables, fruit and grains - to be rebadged ``protein'' rather than ``lean meat and poultry, fish, eggs, nuts and seeds and legumes/beans''.