Which foods are halal?

The categorization of a food as permissible (halal) or forbidden (haram) is based on a combination of numerous factors (see also:What does halal mean?). The primary sources for such a classification are the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (s). Geographical conditions and circumstances also play a role. Ultimately, food production is such a highly specialized field that it is divided into various sciences (e.g., food chemistry or technology). Processes and materials used change so rapidly that it is impossible to make general statements about product categories. Instead, individual components and manufacturing processes are examined and analyzed by Islamic legal scholars and then classified as halal or non-halal.

Halal classification by certification institutes

Today, classification is no longer carried out by individual scholars. Depending on requirements, legal schools, and regions around the world, various certification institutes have been established for such tasks, which certify products as permissible (halal) on behalf of food producers, restaurants, etc. In order to obtain a seal from the relevant institute, the organization or company wishing to receive the certificate must comply with all criteria and conditions. A well-known contact in Europe, and particularly in Germany, is the European Halal Certification Institute (EHZ) in Hamburg. 

Criteria for halal certification

The EHZ provides an easy-to-understand overview [1] of the criteria required forhalal certification. Certification institutes examine the Quran, the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (s), and legal opinions of various scholars, and test products, food, and especially manufacturing processes according to previously agreed standards. These should be considered an introduction to the topic and are reproduced below in essence. According to these standards, halal food must

consist of halal raw materials

•  come from permitted animals that have been slaughtered in accordance with Islamic law.
•  "pure" means, for example, without blood, excrement, etc.
• be produced completely alcohol-free.

Alcohol may not be used in processing either, whereby alcohol in this context refers to ethanol. In a figurative sense, all intoxicating substances are prohibited (haram). Furthermore, seafood is generally permitted. As cold-blooded animals, these do not require slaughter.

These criteria can be broken down further below. Since the meat category is a broad and sometimes complex area of this topic, the focus will initially be on products and foodstuffs. Issues such as halal slaughter and criteria in the food production process (keyword: cross-contamination) will be dealt with in separate articles.

Halal raw materialsfor food production are

• Plant-based raw materials that have not undergone fermentation (e.g., unfermented fruit juices)
• Animal-based raw materials derived from animals that have been slaughtered in accordance with halal practices (e.g.,gelatinfrom ahalal-slaughtered cow). 

Haram raw materialsare

• blood
• pork
• Meat from dead animals
• Meat from predators with fangs, as well as birds of prey with claws
• Alcohol as a luxury food, regardless of form and concentration

What does that mean specifically?

The criteria mentioned all seem somewhat abstract. For clarification, two specific examples will be discussed.

Some food producers have switchedfrom pork gelatin to beef gelatin,for example infruit gummies.The consumption of beef and other beef products is generally permitted (halal). However, if the animal has not been slaughtered in accordance with Islamic guidelines, the gelatin obtained from it may not be consumed either. A similar difficulty arises with calf rennet. Rennet is a mixture of various enzymes obtained from the stomach of a slaughtered calf and is necessary for cheese production.² If a product for which rennet has been used is to be classified as halal, the calf in question must have been slaughtered in accordance with Islamic guidelines. Otherwise, according to many scholars, the entire product (e.g., cheese) cannot be considered halal. Other ingredients frequently found insweetsare mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids. Glycerides are basically the product of glycerin (a non-intoxicating alcohol) and acids. In this case, the focus is on the fatty acids. According to EU guidelines, the origin of these does not have to be explicitly stated. They can be of plant or animal origin. While the name has become established historically, it no longer explicitly corresponds to modern manufacturing processes. In fact, the acids mentioned may come from animal fats. However, according to today's standards, they are often obtained from soy (plant origin) or milk (animal origin). Milk is considered "pure" according to Islamic standards.

As previously indicated, there are very subtle nuances in food production that can lead to minimally varying dietary regulations when considered by certifiers and scholars due to different regional conditions and other circumstances. Simple examples have been chosen for clarification purposes. Transferring this to complicated production processes requires significantly more complex and in-depth considerations. 

After discussing the topic of meat several times, the next article will focus on the correct Islamic slaughter of animals and variations that have become established through modern technologies: Article:Halal meat. How is Islamic slaughter carried out?