Solaray Mastic Gum Extract Halal

 

                         Solaray Mastic Gum Extract

Solaray Mastic Gum Extract

(UPC CODE: 76280036886) - Solaray Mastic Gum Extract, 500 mg, 45 VegCaps

Ingredients: Maltodextrin, Vegetable Cellulose, Capsule, Silica, Magnesium Stearate and Cellulose

STATUS: HALAL

This product does not contain any animal ingredients.  Specifically, the Magnesium Stearate is sourced from Palm which would make it suitable for consumption. 

This article is specific to Mastic Gum Extract manufactured by Solaray CANADA.  The last update/inquiry for this product was done on:

• Oct 08, 2021

Ask Halal Team

(Approved for release by Mufti Abrar Koya)

Furlani Parmesan Garlic Texas Toast Halal

Parmesan Garlic Texas Toast

(UPC CODE: 059635001715) - Parmesan Garlic Texas Toast, 16 slices

BREAD: Enriched wheat flour, water, soybean oil, yeast, sugar, salt, calcium propionate, microbial enzymes, ascorbic acid.

SPREAD: Soybean oil, water, modified palm oil, dehydrated garlic, parmesan cheese (milk, salt, powdered cellulose, lipase, microbial enzyme, bacterial culture, natamycin), salt, whey powder, natural flavour, distilled vegetable monoglyceride, citric acid, dehydrated parsley, potassium sorbate, colour.

Contains: Milk, Soy, Wheat

STATUS: HALAL

As confirmed by the manufacturer, this product contains milk but no other animal-derived ingredients. In the bread and cheese making processes only microbial enzymes are used.  Lipase is present in the ingredient list however it is from microbial sources1.  

This article is specific to Garlic Toast - Parmesan manufactured by Furlani CANADA.

The last update/inquiry for this product was done on:

• Oct 23, 2021

Ask Halal Team

(Approved for release by Mufti Abrar Koya)

1. "Furlani only uses microbial lipase, which is produced by microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi" (Source)

Nestle Smarties Halal

NESTLÉ SMARTIES Candy Coated Milk Chocolate

(UPC CODE: 5980000060)

Ingredients: Milk chocolate (sugar, milk ingredients, cocoa butter, cocoa mass, whey powder, lactose, soya lecithin, polyglycerol polyricinoleate, natural flavour), sugar, wheat flour, modified corn starch, carnauba wax, colour.

STATUS: HALAL

As confirmed by the manufacturer all food colours in this product are either from synthetic sources or vegetarian sources.  This even includes the red smarties as the red food colour is sourced from beet juice. 

Furthermore there are no animal sourced ingredients in this product other than milk or milk byproducts such as whey powder. 

Specifically:

• The whey protein is produced by adding microbial-sourced rennet to the milk and then it is separated into curds and whey liquid. The whey is then separated and dried which produces whey powder.
  
• Vanilla flavour used in Smarties contains no ethyl alcohol.  Vanillin does not come into contact with alcohol during production.

This article is specific to Smarties manufactured by Nestle CANADA. The last update/inquiry for this product was done on:

• Oct 23, 2021

Ask Halal Team

(Approved for release by Mufti Abrar Koya)

Is Cochineal - Carmine Halal or Haram?

Cochineal Extract (Red food dye)

Cochineal extract is derived from Cochineal. Cochineal is a bug found on plants in Peru and the Canary Islands. The insect is dried, crushed, and put into an acidic alcohol¹. The insect can be killed by hot water, sunlight, steam, or oven heat².

Cochineal is used to make a scarlet, deep crimson, red, or orange dye which is used in some foods such as jams, drinks³, and candies.  It is also used in cosmetics such as red lipstick⁴.

It can be found in ingredients with the following names⁵:

• Cochineal Extract
• Carmine
• Carminic Acid
• Natural Red 4 (Not to be confused with Red 2 or Red 40, which are synthetic)
• E120

According to the Hanafi Madhab insects are pure.

Hence, any product which contains the above mentioned ingredients and is used externally such as lotion, cream, shampoos are halal. 

However, lipstick containing carmine should be avoided as there is a likelihood it will be consumed when drinking water ⁶.

Nevertheless, consuming insects (excluding some insects such as locusts) is not permissible in the Hanafi, Shafi’i, or Hanbali madhhab. Therefore, food products containing the ingredients mentioned above should be avoided.⁷

Allah knows best

Abrar Ahmed Koya

May 19, 2019

1. https://www.livescience.com/36292-red-food-dye-bugs-cochineal-carmine.html
2. https://www.britannica.com/technology/cochineal There is a debate within Muslim Scholars regarding the permissibility of killing insects using hot water, etc. Hanafis in general do not allow this unless there is no other way to get rid of an insect in a home.
3.  For example, Fruitopia Strawberry Passion Awareness, usually found in Wal-Marts.
4.  https://www.cs.mcgill.ca/~rwest/wikispeedia/wpcd/wp/c/Cochineal.htm
5.  https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Carmine#section=MeSH-Entry-Terms
6. One should avoid accidentally ingesting it if used externally. Scholars of the other madhhabs can be contacted for their position on the matter.
7.  Malikis allow consumption of insects if they are slaughtered according to shariah, i.e. Bismillah is recited while removing the head, legs, or wings.

Sugar alcohol

Sugar alcohol is a low-calorie sweetener. It naturally occurs in fruits or plants, such as strawberries, onions, mushrooms, and starch. It is an alternative to sugar and possibly even healthier. Sugar alcohol does not intoxicate.

Some examples of sugar alcohol can be:

• Erythritol

• Maltitol

• Mannitol

• Sorbitol

• Xylitol

• Hydrogenated starch hydrolysates (HSH)

• Isomalt

Sugar alcohol is halal.

Allah knows best

Abrar Ahmed Koya

April 7, 2019

REFERENCES:

1. http://www.lindt.co.uk/swf/eng/company/faqs/answers/
2. https://www.webmd.com/diet/what-are-sugar-alcohols#1

• http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/what-can-i-eat/understanding-carbohydrates/sugar-alcohols.html 
• https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320901.php