The tussle of distinguishing the food products into halal and haram is a constant effort. The commonly consumed snacks like chips often have meat extracts from chicken, beef, or pork, which ultimately makes it difficult to distinguish them as halal or haram. Usually, chips aren't wholly meat but have hidden ingredients that make them haram. If you wish to enjoy them guilt-free, here's how you can ensure it.
What are halal foods?
Islamic law categorises different food items as halal or haram depending on their source and manufacturing process. According to Islamic law, halal means permissible in Arabic, which doesn't allow any illegal practice or slaughter to manufacture the food.
Generally, various types of meats and some fermented vegan products aren't allowed under the halal category as they are unsuitable for the human body.
But processed meats in halal ways or pure plant-based supplements are extremely nutritious and safe to consume. Carnivores, hunting animals, or birds with sharp talons, all of which are dangerous to us, are considered haram and are avoided at all costs.
Hidden non-halal (haram) ingredients to look for
As of now, you know what animal meats are allowed, you can easily categorise them as halal or not. However, cooked and manufactured products like chips or candies don't have pure meat quantities, but their extracts, which you need to look for. Here are some common ingredients in chips that might be halal or not.
- Vegetables, spices, and vegan sauces used for making chips or nutritional gummies are all halal. Usually, the chips made from potatoes, carrots, rice, wheat, or other grains are entirely safe. They are mixed with herbs, spices, and salt, all that is halal and no non-veg.
- Any sauces that might contain lard or lipase extracts from pork or haram animals are not allowed. Soy-like sauces having alcoholic content are halal and should be watched out for.
- Pork lard is often used to add a crisp and creamy flavour to the chips, which isn't naturally obtained on deep-frying. It is certainly not allowed.
- Many chips are cheese flavoured, and they might contain non-permissible cheese or whey. If the cheese is prepared using animal rennet instead of bacterial lactic acid or acidic juices like vinegar or lemon, the end products also become haram. However, if halal extraction is used to obtain the rennet, it's permissible to use.
- If you are eating beef chips, fried chicken nuggets, or chicken meat chips in a restaurant or from the bag, ensure the meat is processed as per the halal rules. Make sure to avoid pork chips at all costs as they are visibly haram.
Crucial factors to check while buying packed products like chips
It is easy to get raw meat for eating directly, but how about the packed products like chips where hidden ingredients are there? We never get to see their manufacturing process, which is why it's literally impossible to distinguish them. No wonder you don't have to give up the packed food but just check the following factors to ensure they have halal ingredients.
- Check the ingredients list to ensure there aren't any haram foods. Especially watch out for pork and pig extracts as they are strictly restricted.
- Ensure every product you buy, either to be fried chips or an instant chips bag, has the halal certification stamp, i.e., HMC stamp. It ensures the proper manufacturing procedure.
Conclusion
Halal foods almost have a separate category in every shop or supermarket. Manufacturers concerned about Islamic principles strictly follow the rules and regulations to ensure 100% halal products. Say, our Chewwies gummies are entirely vegan and don't have any animal-based or dairy extracts that might make them haram. This article discusses which chips can be halal and what ingredients can accidentally make them haram. If you’re wondering is Pringles halal, we’ve already written about it in another blog.