Misc Halal-Haram Info

According to the current Islamic thinking, the following are considered Najis and therefore Haram (unlawful, prohibited):

• Swine including all by-products
• Insects considered ugly or filthy such as worms, lice, flies, etc.
• Animals with fangs such as tigers, lions, cats etc,
• Birds that have talons with which they catch their prey such as owls, eagles, etc
• Animals which Islam encourages to kill such as scorpions, centipedes, rats etc,
• Dogs
• Animals which Islam forbids to kill such as bees etc
• Animals which have toxins, poisons or produce ill effects when eaten such as some fish etc
• Amphibian animals such as crocodiles, turtles, frogs etc
• Meat (limbs, tails etc.) which have been cut from a live animal
• Lawful animals not slaughtered according to Islamic rites. (Fish is exempt from slaughtering).
• Carrion or dead animals
• Plant and their products (a) Poisonous Plant (b) Intoxicating Plant
• Liquids and their products (a) Poisonous drinks (b) Intoxicating drinks
• Other matters and their products (a) Faeces and urine (b) Placental tissue (c) Blood

Halal Slaughter

• The conditions required for Halal slaughter of animals and birds are:
• The abattoirs or factory must be under the close and constant supervision of a religious organisation, namely AFIC.
• The premises, machinery and equipment must be cleansed according to Islamic Shariah (law) before any production takes place.
• The slaughterman must be a mature, pious Muslim of sound mind who understands fully the fundamentals and conditions relating to Halal slaughter and be approved by the religious authorities.
• Only acceptable live animals and birds can be slaughtered.
• Recite Tasmiyah ' Bismillah Allah O Akbar' or atleast name of ' Allah' is to be pronounced before Halal slaughter takes place.
• The slaughter must be done manually using a sharp steel knife.
• In case of Chicken, ducks and bird slaughter using a rotary mechanical blade, there must be three Muslim slaughtermen present. One slaughterman touching the birds physically before they go into the rotary cutting blade reciting name of "Allah" and the two Muslim slaughter men are to slaughter the birds that were missed by the blade.
• Reciting name of 'Allah' is compulsory. The gap between the reciting must not be too long.
• The Halal slaughter must be swift and complete.
• Facilities must be available for rinsing the knife after each kill.
• The slaughterman must sever the respiratory tract, oesophagus the jugular veins and carotid arteries.
• The animal must be completely dead before any processing or skinning can take place.

Modern Products

     In the modern processing of food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic products we cannot escape from the issue of food ingredients which originates from animals, especially additives and many of these are imported. The ingredients are made from various sources, including Haram sources as well. The products from animal sources which may pose problems are given below:

1. Fresh Meat

   There are many types of animals available and these may or may not be slaughtered according to the Islamic law. Some of these animals include chicken, duck, turkey, quail, cattle, goat, sheep, rabbit, venison.

2. Meat Products

     Another important group of meat products are those using a mixture of pork and non pork raw material. These include luncheon meat, salamis, various types of sausages etc. In these products pork fat is used instead of beef fat. Of course these products are also available in a form which no pork or lard is added as in kosher salami and beef frankfurter's. There are also available chicken and turkey roll. If these products contain pork or pork products and are not made from Halal slaughtered animals Muslims will not purchase them.

3. Offal Products

     Example of these include liver, lungs, heart, intestines, tripe, brains and blood. Besides direct consumption, some of these can also be processed into value-added products. Intestines in their wet or dry form can be used as casings for various types of sausages. All these must be from animals slaughtered in a Halal manner otherwise the whole product will not be acceptable. Blood on the other hand is never acceptable under any circumstance.

4. Bone and Hide Products

     Gelatine which is used in many food preparations is another important animal product. The main sources are skin and bones. The production from skin basically involves an extraction process of several stages with increasing temperatures, filtration and concentration in a vacuum evaporator. On the other hand production from bones would involve the removal of fat, demineralisation and extraction with dilute alkali. Besides being a source of gelatin, bones when converted into bone meal and purified, is used as a natural source of calcium and phosphorus which can be used in paediatric food. The hides of the cattle can be processed into edible crackers, while chicken skin can be emulsified to be used as ingredients in the production of emulsion type sausages. Again if the bones and hides are not from the slaughtered animals these products can not be accepted. Pork and all pig products are prohibited.

Some Ingredients: Their Sources & Uses

The following are some of the major ingredients. These could be Halal if the origin of them is not animal or alcohol.

Acetic Acid - Source: plant juices, milk, oil petroleum and sometimes muscles. It is the final product of many aerobic fermentations.

Agar Agar - Sources: seaweed. Use: a substitute for gelatin (cream and in confectionery items).

Albumin - Sources: blood (serum albumin), milk (dairy), eggs. Use: coagulant and stiffener in baked goods.

Alginates - Source: seaweed. Forms: calcium alginate, alginic acid, sodium alginate, propylene glycol alginate. Uses: thickening and stabilizing agent in pastry, jelly, ice cream, cheese, candy, yogurt, canned frosting, whipped cream, and beer.

Alpha Amylase - Source: hog pancreas. Use: in flour to break down any starches.

Ambergris - Source: whale intestines. Use: flavoring (also used in perfume).

Anise - Source: fruit of an herb (in the parsley family). Use: flavoring foods and beverages.

Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) - Source: synthetic or corn. Use: nutrient.

Ascorbyl Palmitate - Source: synthetic and palm oil. Use: preservative.

Benzoic Acid - Source: synthetic. Use: preservative.

BHA (Butylated hydroxanisole) - Source: synthetic. Use: as an antioxidant in beverages, desserts, cereals, glazed fruits, dry mixes for beverages, and potato flakes and granules.

Calcium Carbonate - Source: limestone. Use: tooth powder and in removing acidity of wine.

Calcium Chloride - Source: synthetic. Use: in canned goods and in cottage and cheddar cheeses as a preservative.

Calcium Disodium (EDTA) - Source: synthetic. Use: flavor retention in canned soda and canned white potatoes, as a preservative in dressings, egg products, oleomargarine, potato salad, lima beans, mushrooms pecan pie filling and spreads.

Calcium Propionate - Source: synthetic. Use: preservative.

Calcium Stearate - Source: a compound of calcium and stearic acid. Use: anti-caking ingredient in some spices (especially garlic salt and onion salt) and extensively in tablets.

Calcium Sorbate - Source: synthetic. Use: preservative.

Calcium Stearol Lactylate - Source: chemical reaction of stearic acid and lactic acid. Use: as a dough conditioner, whipping agent and as a conditioner in dehydrated potatoes.

Caprylic Acid - Source: palm oil, coconut oil. Use: preservative and flavoring.

Carbon Black - Source: synthetic. Use: black coloring in confectionery.

Carmine (Cochineal) - Source: insect. A crimson pigment derived from a Mexican species of scale insert (coccus cacti). Use: coloring in red apple sauce, confections, baked goods, meats and spices.

Carrageenan - Source: seaweed and irish moss. Use: as a substitute for gelatin (an emulsifier, stabilizer and food thickener).

Caramel - Source: sugar or glucose. Use: coloring foods, beverages and confectionery items.

Casein - Source: milk. Use: stabilizer for confectionery, texturizer for ice cream and sherbets, or as a replacement for egg albumin. It is precipitated by acid or by animal or vegetable enzymes.

Catalase - Source: cow liver. Use: coagulant.

Cholic Acid - Source: animal bile. Use: emulsifier in dried egg whites.

Choline Bitartrate - Source: animal tissue. Use: nutrient (B- complex vitamin).

Citric Acid - Source: fruits and vegetables, molasses and grain. Use: antioxidant, sugar solubilizing in ice cream and sherbet, fruit juice drinks, and canned and jarred products, including jelly, cheese, candy, carbonated beverages, instant potatoes, wheat, chips, potato sticks and wine.

Civet, Absolute - Source: cats. Use: flavoring for beverages, ice cream, ices, candy, baked goods and chewing gum.

Cocoa Butter - Source: cocoa bean. Use: chocolate coatings.

Coconut Oil - Source: coconut. Use: in the manufacture of edible fats, chocolate, and candies, in baking in place of lard.

Cream of Tartar (Tartaric Acid) - Source: argol, the stony sediment of wine casks. Once the liquid residue has been removed from the argols by aging one year and drying, the argol are permissible. Use: in a variety of confections and in the preparation of baked goods.

Cysteine.L form - Source: an amino acid, human or horse, or (sometimes from deceased women). Use: nutrient in bakery products.

Dextrin - Source: starch. Use: prevents caking of sugar in candy, encapsulates flavor oils in powdered mixes, thickener.

Dextrose (corn syrup) - Source: starch. Use: sweetener, coloring agent in beverages, ice cream, candy and baked goods.

Dough Conditioners - Sources: calcium stearoyl-2-lactylate, or animal fat. Use: to improve the texture of bread. Often it will contain mono and diglycerides.

Emulsifiers - Source: fats (animals or vegetable, synthetic). Use: binding oils and water, thickening, a preservative in baked goods, reducing ice crystals and air bubbles in ice cream.

Erythrobic Acid - Source: synthetic. Use: preservative.

Ethyl Vanillin - Source: synthetic, bark of spruce tree, or wine alcohol. Use: as a flavor instead of vanilla or to fortify it.

Fats - Source: animal or vegetable. Substances that are solid at room temperature are fats, those that are liquids at room temperature are oils.

Fatty Acids - Source: animal or vegetable fats. Use: emulsifiers, binders and lubricants.

Glucose - Source: fruits and other plants such as potatoes and corn. Use: sweetener and coloring agent.

Glycine - Source: gelatin, animal or vegetable oil. Use: in cereals. Also as flavor enhancer.

Glycerol Monostearate - Glycerol monostearate may be of animal origin.

Glycerine - Source: beef fat, petroleum, or vegetable. Use: as a solvent or a humectant (maintains the desired level of moisture).

Gum Arabic, Gum Acacia - Source: trees. Use: thickening agent, emulsifier, stabilizer.

Gum Base - Source: trees (chicle, natural rubber, etc.), synthetic butyl rubber, paraffin, polyethylene, vinyl, resin, glycerol monostearate. Use: in the manufacture of chewing gum.

Gum Guaiac - Source: trees. Use: antioxidant.

Guar Gum - Source: plants. Use: extender for pectin, stabilizer and thickener for spreads, syrup, sauces, salad dressing and licorice.

Gum Tragacanth - Source: shrubs. Use: thickening agent. Herb derived from green leaves or herbaceous part of the plant.

Invert Sugar (Inversol nulomoline colorose) - Source: cane sugar. Use: sweetener.

Invertase (Invertin) - Source: molasses, corn starch, glucose. Use: preservative, flavoring. (Lactic acid can also be produced from whey, but its use is restricted to ice cream and cream cheese).

Lactose (Milk sugar) - Source: whey. Use: sweetener, humectant and nutrient.

Lauric Fats - Source: coconut, palm oil. Use: with or instead of cocoa butter.

Lecithin - Source: soybeans, corn oil. Use: emulsifier and preservative, especially in chocolate.

Lipids - Source: animal or vegetable fat. Use: shortening, flavoring, thickener.

Lysine, L and DL Forms - Source: casien, fibrin, blood. Usually synthesized.

Magnesium Stearate - Source: stearic acid. From tallow, vegetable oils or synthetic. Use: anti-caking agent.

Malt Syrup - Source: malt and barley. Use: emulsifier and starch dissolving.

Mannitol - Source: fungi. Use: sweetener.

Methylparaben - Source: synthetic. Use: preservative.

Mono and Diglycerides - Source: animal and vegetable. Use: stabilizer, emulsifier, softener, preservative. Most are animal products. Mono-and-diglycerides do not necessarily have to be listed in the ingredients.

Monosodium Glutamate - Source: sugar, plants, beets and corn. Use: flavor enhancer.

Natural Fruit Flavors - Concentrated under vacuum or freeze dried. Concentrated fruit pulp that is used in confectionery usually requires fortification with some synthetic flavor.

Oleic Acid - Source: fats and oils (animals or vegetable). Use: defoaming, flavoring.

Oil of Caraway - Source: seeds of carum carui. Grown in Holland and Central and Southern Europe. Flavoring for chocolate and coatings.

Oil of Cardamon (grains of paradise) - Source: alleppy cardamon, trees from India. Use: enhance the flavor of ground coffee, butter, chocolate, liquor, spice and vanilla flavoring.

Oil of Cassia (Cassia Bark) - Source: leaves and twigs of the chinese cinnamon. Use: for cocoa flavor in biscuits, cakes, ice cream and beverages.

Oil of Celery - Source: celery plant. It comes primarily from France. Use: usually as flavoring for cocoa, chocolate and other confections.

Oxysterins - Source: glycerides, stearic acid. Use: prevents oil from clouding.

Ox Bile - Source: ox bile. Use: preservative and emulsifier in dried egg whites.

Pectin - Source: roots, stems and fruits of plants. Use: to thicken jellies.

Pepper Cream - Source: herb. Use: spice. Requires di-glycerides or other emulsifiers to mix.

Pepsin - Source: enzymes, usually extracted from hog stomachs, but can be synthetic. Use: coagulant in cheese.

Polyglycerol Esters of Fatty Acids - Source: fats and oils, animal or vegetable.

Polysorbate 60, 65, 80 - Source: stearic acid (also called tween). Use: emulsifiers, especially in "non-diary" products.

Potassium Bi Sulfite - Source: synthetic. Use: preservative.

Potassium Caseinate - Source: milk. Use: stabilizer and texturizer.

Potassium Metabisulfite - Source: synthetic. Use: preservative.

Potassium Sorbate - Source: berries or synthetic. Use: preservative.

Propionic Acid - Source: synthetic or may be made from cheese. Use: mold inhibitor, preservative.

Propyl Gallate - Source: synthetic or may be from nuts produced by insects. Use: preservative.

Propylene Glycol (Aliginate) - Source: synthetic. Use: emulsifier, stabilizer, solvent.

Propylparaben - Source: synthetic. Use: preservative.

Release Agents - Source: oils, mineral oil, mono-glycerides or synthetic. Use: keeps heated foods from sticking to equipment, utensils and packaging. These need not to be listed in the ingredients.

Resinous Glaze - Source: insect secretion. Use: coating candies and pills.

Rennet - Source: animal enzymes. Derived from the lining membrane of the stomach of suckling calves. Use: coagulant and curdling agent especially in cheese and other dairy products. A vegetable enzyme similar to rennet is available as a substitute.

Shellac - Source: insect secretion. Use: in glaze for confectionery products and in chocolate panning.

Shortenings - Source: oil. Use: to make baked goods light and flaky. Factories make both animal and vegetable shortenings.

Sodium Alginate - Source: seaweed or kelp. Use: as a stabilizer.

Sodium Ascorbate - Source: synthetic. Use: preservative.

Sodium Benzoate - Source: synthetic origin. Use: preservative.

Sodium Caseinate - Source: milk and cheese. Use: texturizer in " non-diary" creamers and instant mashed potatoes.

Sodium Citrate - Source: synthetic. Use: emulsifier and buffer in processed produce.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate - Source: synthetic. Use: detergent, whipping agent, an emulsifier (in egg products) and surfactant (in beverages).

Sodium Propionate - Source: synthetic origin or rarely it is made from cheese. Use: mold preservative.

Sodium Sorbate - Source: synthetic or from corn. Use: preservative.

Sodium Sulfite - Source: synthetic. Use: preservative.

Softeners - Source: animal or vegetable. Use: in chewing gum.

Sorbic Acid - Source: berries, corn or synthetic. Use: mold inhibitor.

Sorbitan Monostearate - Source: stearic acid. Use: emulsifier, defoamer and flavor disperser.

Spearmint Oil - Source: the herb mentha viriais. Use: primarily as flavoring in chewing gum.

Sperm Oil - Source: whale. Use: release agent and lubricant in baking pans.

Spices - Source: dried vegetable product derived from any part of the plant, whether root, stem, bark, fruit, bud or seed.

Stannous Chloride - Source: synthetic. Use: preservative.

Stearic Acid - Source: animal or vegetable oil. Use: in butter and vanilla flavoring. Softener in chewing gum.

Stearyl Lactylic Acid - Source: fats and oils. Use: emulsifier.

Sulfur Dioxide - Source: synthetic. Use: preservative.

Thiodipropionic Acid - Source: synthetic. Use: preservative, or from cheese.

Tocopherols - Source: synthetic, or soybeans. Use: preservative, nutrient (Vitamin E).

Turmeric - Source: herb. Use: spice as a powder: (often used in its oleo resin form for use in pickling brine and mustard with glycerides added).

Vanilla - Source: bean. Use: flavoring, it may be processed with glycerine.

Vanillin - Source: bark of spruce tree. Use: flavoring.

Vegetable Gums - Use: substitute for gelatin in desserts and candies.

Whey - Source: milk. Use: binder and flavoring agent.

http://www.afic.com.au/Halal.htm