Distinguishing between halal and haram products is a great deal in the global market — as more people are now shifting to the trend to try mixed cuisines.
Among the countless dishes we get in restaurants or store-bought snacks, we come across gelatin ingredients a lot.
Marshmallows in hot chocolate, jelly flavoured candies, or ice cream topped with beef or pork gelatin are quite common nowadays.
But is beef gelatin halal? Read on to find out.
When is beef gelatin a halal product?
Beef is the meat extracted from slaughtered cows which is naturally halal if the bovine was healthy before and was killed in an Islamic religious way. Along with beef, gelatin manufacturers can also use the cow's skin collagen and bones to extract the protein.
This flavourless, translucent jelly is obtained by boiling the body parts until a thick solution is achieved. The manufacturers then filter the pure gelatin and dry it to powder form for package and sale.
In short, beef gelatin is halal if it purely contains the cow's body parts and the animal is slaughtered strictly according to Islamic law.
When should you look out for halal surety?
Many companies often mix beef gelatin with pork extracts to increase their commercial production. These products are certainly not halal as Islamic rule does not allow pig products.
Secondly, many jellies, powdered gelatin, or gummies aren't certified by the trusted boards, which is a red flag to look out for.
Even if you are visiting any café, restaurant, or takeaway, you should always ensure that they follow halal dietary and cooking principles.
Want to try 100% halal gelatin?
Even if you know all about the manufacturing of beef gelatin, you might not get the chance to check every step before eating the product.
If you aren't sure of the guarantee, check out these varieties that are 100% halal.
Plant-based gelatin
All plant-based products are not haram and are safe for consumption. Vegan gelatin uses gelling agents like pectin and glazing agents like carnauba wax to produce a gelatin-like substance.
Our Chewwies gummies are also 100% plant-based, kosher and halal certified to consume anytime without any doubt. We also refrain from using gluten or dairy products that can be intolerable for you.
Kosher gelatin
Kosher products use bovine collagen and Kosher fishes, slaughtered according to Jewish sacrificial principles.
Since they also restrict pork meat and process the raw produce according to religious rules, the authentic ones are safely halal.
To find Kosher gelatin products, you can look for 'K', or 'OU' symbols on the package. You can further check 'OU-D' for dairy extracts, 'OU-F' and 'OU-P' for no meat, no dairy products.
Check for a halal certification stamp
While buying any food supplements or gelatin-based products, you can always check if the pack contains the halal certification stamp.
Every country has its certifying boards which examine the process and ensure it is safely under the halal rule.
Say, our Chewwies gummy vitamins are entirely animal-gelatin-free as they only use plant-based pectin for producing jellied substances. All the products have been certified by Halal Monitoring Committee (HMC) for complete assurance.
Conclusion
We can't categorise any food as halal or haram until we dig deep into its source and manufacturing procedures. Beef gelatin is naturally halal if the manufacturers slaughter the cow according to Islamic principles.
