The sour patch is a candy with a sour sugar coating that contains a combination of sugar, tartaric acid, and citric acid. Sour patch candies are available in human-like figures with hands, feet, and faces. Sour patch candy has the slogan “sour and then sweet”; honestly, the slogan truly speaks for how this candy tastes!
However, people often wonder whether sour patches are halal or not and to find the answer to that, we need first to know the halal status of each ingredient used in this food item.
All About Sour Patch Kids
Sour Patch Kids is a famous brand of sour patch candy. In France, Sour Patch Kids is known as “Very Bad Kids' '. Whereas, in Canada, it is known as “Maynards Sour Patch Kids”.
While the greatest fan base of candy is generally found in kids, Sour Patch Kids primarily targets teenagers. It is pertinent to note that the Sour Patch Brand Mascot used the “kid” character to target its consumers – only because the brand believes that a teenager's life can be quite sour and then turn sweet.
Sour Patch Kids' approach helped it acquire a significant market share and overrule other candy brands. This brand appealed to its audience like no other.
The original name for Sour Patch Kids sweets was "Mars Men," which first appeared on the market in the 1970s. The company reportedly changed its name to capitalise on the growing interest in Cabbage Patch Kids at the time. Sour Patch Kids and other popular snack brands like Oreo and Cadbury, are owned by Mondelez.
As for the colours, the original Sour Patch Kids came in green lime, yellow lemon, orange, and red raspberry (red). They also came up with a watermelon-shaped Sour Patch candy.
What Is Halal Food?
Halal in English means “permissible” and comes from Arabic. The Quran contrasts the terms Halal and Haram throughout the sacred scriptures. Halal food is defined as food that abides by Islamic law in the Quran.
The Quran offers clear instructions and stipulations regarding what constitutes a halal or haram dish or action, just as it has explicit principles to follow in other facets of human existence. Hence, Halal food is food that complies with Islamic law as outlined in the Quran and is thus suitable for Muslim consumption.
Check the Halal calculator to know the halal index of each ingredient used in this food item.
Understanding the Relationship Between Sour Patch and Halal Food
Sour Patch Kids has the Halal stamp, and thus it means that the food item is completely halal and safe to be consumed by practising Muslims.
To let you have a better understanding of this, we shall first know the ingredients used in the sour patch. Pertinently, the sour patch contains the following ingredients:
- Sugar;
- Invert sugar;
- Modified corn starch;
- Corn starch;
- Colour – yellow, red, blue;
- Citric acid, tartaric acid (in the quantity of less than 2% [two per cent]); and
- Natural and artificial flavour.
We must note that cornstarch and corn syrup bind together the candy to have the sticky, gooey texture that children and adults both enjoy.
This differs from its competitors on the market: sweets that use gelatin as a bonding agent. This is one of the prime reasons Sour Patch Kids is an absolute love amongst its audience.
However, if you are Halal conscious, we shall address the fact that based on the ingredients of the sour patch as discussed above. One can say that there isn't any ingredient used in the sour patch, which may be considered “non-Halal” or “Haram”.
This is primarily because the ingredients in the sour patch are not necessarily animal-derived; hence, the sour patch is quite safe to consume if you are Muslim and are Halal-conscious in your food choices. Make sure to buy only those food supplements that use halal ingredients.
Sour Patch Kids’ Statement
Previously Sour Patch Kids has confirmed that the sour patch candy does not constitute any products that relate to animals, nor does it contain any alcohol. We must note that People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (“PETA”) also considers Sour Patch Kids on its top list of vegan snacks. This is because:
- Sugar is vegan-friendly since it is most likely a creation of beet and cane sugar and easily qualifies as “vegan-friendly”;
- Invert sugar is merely a sweetener that is commonly found in soft drinks and candies due to its distinctive feature of having a smooth texture and being water-soluble. Since it can bond between fructose and glucose – it is seen as vegan friendly only;
- Natural and artificial flavours usually refer to products that are not necessarily animal-derived; rather, they may be derived from petrol;
- Tartaric acid is usually found in citrus fruits, bananas, grapes, tamarind, etc.
- Citric acid is also a natural flavour primarily found in citrus fruits such as lemons and limes with a pH level from 3 to 6.
Hence, it is a bit evident that Sour Patch Kids does not constitute animal-derived products and alcohol – which primarily forms the basis of understanding whether you are consuming Halal or Haram food.
Is It Safe For Vegans To Eat?
Sour Patch Kids is completely vegan. They contain only plant-based ingredients, and none of the ingredients come from animals.
If you look at the list of ingredients, you'll see that they mentioned that the candies have a "natural and artificial flavour". These flavours can come from either plants or animals, but the fact that the brand doesn't say where the ingredients come from is pretty concerning.
Conclusion
If you are Halal-conscious, it is natural to worry about whether your food is halal. Hence, our final thoughts herein conclude to believe that sour patch candy is safe for Muslim consumption and is not Haram at all. Therefore, if you are a sour patch lover and Halal-conscious, throw your worries away and consume the sour patch as you would like to!