Is it Halal?

Gold Bond Products

2011-03-21T16:08:00.005-04:00

Dear Mrs. Lazeena,

Thank you for contacting Chattem, Inc. regarding the content of ethyl alcohol and animal bi-products in our product Gold Bond. Our Gold Bond line is free from ethyl alcohol. However, some of the Gold Bond products are free from animal bi-products.

Non Animal derived products are as listed below:
GB Ultimate Powder and Ultimate Baby Powder
GB Foot Powder
GB Anti Itch Cream
GB Ultimate Soothing Powder
All other GB lotions or creams contain ingredients that are likely or definitely sourced from animal ingredients. Mostly from beef tallow but may also contain pork derived tallow.

If we can be of further assistance please do not hesitate to contact us.

Sincerely,
"E.M."
Consumer Affairs

Red Bull

2011-03-21T16:02:00.002-04:00

Interesting response

Hi Lazeena,

Thank you for sending us your question.

Red Bull Energy Drink is a non-alcoholic beverage and is registered as a non-alcoholic beverage in all the countries where it is sold. But as most other beverages/soft drinks, Red Bull Energy Drink contains traces of alcohol coming from the flavors used. Red Bull contains less than 0.05 % alcohol.

If you're wondering for religious purposes, Red Bull Energy Drink is Halal. This has been certified by the MUSLIM JUDICIAL COUNCIL. Imaam Y. Harris, Cape Town. Before issuing this certificate, the production site and the origin of the ingredients were inspected and checked by an official of the Federation.

Also, Red Bull Energy Drink contains no animal by-products, so it is suitable for both vegetarians and vegans. Its key ingredients include taurine, caffeine, glucuronolactone and B Vitamins - which all work together to vitalize the body and the mind.

Hope this answers your questions.

With soaring regards,

-"D"
Red Bull

Totino's Pizza Rolls

2011-03-18T01:49:00.003-04:00

Are they really THAT good..? haha

Hello Valued Consumer:

Thank you for contacting Pillsbury with your inquiry. In answer to your question, there is no alcohol present in the pizza rolls. Because our suppliers will not commit to a single source all of the time, the enzymes used to make the cheese may be from an animal source depending on the supplier at the time of production.

We hope you find this information helpful. Please let us know if we can help you again.

Thank you,

"P.V."
Customer Care Specialist

*photo credit: robynw @ flickr

Carnation Milks

2011-03-18T01:44:00.003-04:00

This information includes: Evaporated Milk, Low-fat 2% Evaporated Milk, Fat-Free Evaporated Milk, & Sweetened Condensed Milk

Dear Nestlé Consumer,

Thank you for contacting Carnation® Milk.

Please be assured that our Carnation® Milk products do not contain any ethyl alcohol. In addition, the only animal by product that would be in these products would be the milk itself.

Sincerely,

"T.S."
Consumer Response Representative

Ban Deoderant

2011-03-18T01:00:00.001-04:00

Hello Lazeena,

Our Ban contains Stearyl Alcohol as a structurant for the product to solidify and contains no animal by products. We do no testing on animals.

Your remarks encourage us to continue working toward our goal of providing consumers with the highest quality, most innovative personal care products available.

Cordially,

Consumer Care Center
Kao Brands Company
Ban Bioré Curel Jergens John Frieda

Smart Balance Butter

2011-03-17T04:02:00.003-04:00

Dear Lazeena,

Thank you for taking the time to contact us here at Smart Balance. We always appreciate hearing from consumers who care enough to reach out to us with their comments or questions.

The following products are dairy free and vegan:
Smart Balance® Light Original Buttery Spread with Flax
Smart Balance® Organic Whipped Buttery Spread
Smart Balance® Rich Roast Peanut Butter
Smart Balance® Omega Cooking Oil
Smart Balance® Omega Non-stick Cooking Spray

The only Smart Balance product that DOES contain alcohol is our Smart Balance Omega Non-Stick Cooking Spray.

Thank you for supporting Smart Balance® products.

Sincerely,
Your Friends at Smart Balance

Tuna: Chicken of the Sea

2011-03-17T03:59:00.000-04:00

Dear Lazeena,

Thank you for contacting us. None of our Chicken of the Sea seafood products contains any ethyl alcohol or animal by-products.

If we can be of further assistance, do not hesitate to contact us again.

Kind Regards,
COSI Consumer Affairscai

Celeste Pizza

2011-03-17T03:56:00.001-04:00

Not much explanation but surely an answer...

Dear Valued Consumer,

Thank you for taking the time to contact us regarding Celeste Pizza.

While the product does not contain any ethyl alcohol there are animal by products in Celeste pizzas.

If there is anything additional we can assist you with, please do not hesitate to contact us again in the future.

Sincerely,

"S.A."
Consumer Relations Representative

Klondike Ice Cream Bars

2011-03-17T03:49:00.005-04:00

Lots of 'haram' possibilities with Klondike

Hello MRS. LAZEENA,

Thank you for writing us regarding Klondike Ice Cream .

Some of our products contain ingredients that are derived from animal-by-products. Any product containing Glycerin and/or Stearic Acid contains animal by products:

Stearic acid from beef tallow
Glycerin may be either synthetic or natural glycerin, which is derived from beef tallow or coconut
Lanolin Alcohol is derived from animal matter
Oleic Acid- Derived from animal (beef or pork)

The actual ingredient used in the products is significantly different from the original animal-by-product. These types of ingredients are widely used in our industry, and they are safe and effective in our products.

Sincerely,

Your friends at Klondike

*photo frozenfoodjournal @ flickr

Barakah Dates Project

2010-06-04T15:52:00.001-04:00

As salaamu alaikum!!

2 years ago some of you helped donate money to buy books and dates for Masjid Naim in Pereria, Colombia, alhamdulillah. Now we have a bigger project in mind, to raise money to buy dates for a few masaajid in South America and the Caribbean inshaAllah.

Barakah Dates Project is a non-profit organization collecting donations to purchase and ship dates to South American and Caribbean countries for Ramadan 2010!

Why is this so important? These countries do not import dates, and on top of that, the majority of these communities are too poor to even afford dates. Imagine never tasting dates before?! Dates are an essential part of Ramadan, let's share them with our beloved brothers and sisters, inshaAllah! Don't wait for the blessed month to arrive to start your sadaqah!

DONATE HERE using PayPal account OR credit/debit card: http://barakahdatesproject.chipin.com/

Follow the project's blog:
http://barakahdatesproject.blogspot.com/

Contact us for information on how to mail a check or money order.
Feel free to collect donations in your masjid/community/MSA!

Check out this video - the initial inspiration for the project, alhamdulillah!

Trident Layers

2010-05-23T22:51:00.003-04:00

Dear Lazeena:

Thank you for contacting us about Trident Layers. Your comments and inquiries are appreciated because they provide valuable feedback about our brands.

Our Trident Layers products do contain gelatin that is derived from a pork base.

Alcohol can be used as a carrier in certain flavors in our confectionery products. Also, our gums, mints, and cough drops are not kosher certified.

There is no alcohol present in the final product (or any of our other confectionery products). Any minute traces of alcohol that might possibly be used as a flavor carrier would dissipate during the manufacturing process and would not be present in the finished product.

Thank you for taking the time to contact us. We hope that you will continue to purchase and enjoy our products.

Sincerely,

Consumer Relations

Cheez-Its!

2010-03-13T04:04:00.002-05:00

"Lazeena,

Thank you for emailing us your questions regarding Sunshine® Cheez-It's®. We appreciate your interest in our company and products and are happy to answer your questions.

Kosher law is very complex. Some animals are prohibited from being consumed while others are allowed. If our product is labeled as Kosher, it does not contain any non-Kosher ingredients but may still contain Kosher approved animal ingredients including some meats and milk.

It appears that you are interested in knowing if Sunshine® Cheez-It® Original crackers contain any animal ingredients. The only animal derived ingredient in these crackers is milk. The enzymes used to make the cheese are from a microbial (yeast) source. No animal enzymes are used in Cheez-It® products.

No Cheez-It® products contain alcohol. If a product's ingredients include natural and/or artificial flavors, these ingredients can be processed with alcohol. However, during the baking of our crackers, all of the alcohol is evaporated leaving no alcohol in the final product.

I do hope this information answers your questions and that you will be able to enjoy our cheezy crackers!

Sincerely,

R.A.J.
Consumer Affairs Department"

Fantastic World Foods

2010-02-18T06:00:00.001-05:00

Hi Lazeena,

Fantastic World Foods is a brand which makes a line of Vegan meals. They're pretty much ready made and in a box, all you have to do is heat it up or add some water. These would be perfect when you want a good dinner but are too lazy to cook.

I've tried their hummus before (even though I didn't have to go the vegetarian route for that!) All I did was add hot water and a dash of olive oil and I was good to go! I also tried their Vegetarian Chili, now I for one am not a fan of meatless chili, but it tasted great paired with tortilla chips.

Check out their products here, and below is the email I was sent from them. Oh, and for some reason when they responded to the email the person said THANKS FOR YOUR INTEREST IN OUR MEAT LOAF MIX.... uhhhh... I never even mentioned MEAT LOAF MIX. I just asked if it was alcohol free lol!.

Thanks so much for your interest in our Fantastic Foods Meat Loaf Mix and for taking the time to write.

Your questions are very important to us and I'll certainly help you as best I can.

No, there is no alcohol in the vegetarian entrees.

I hope that this information has been helpful to you. Please let me know if there is anything else I can do to assist you.

Warm Regards,
"DS"
Customer Service / Marketing Associate Blue Marble Brands

Bath & Body Works Hand Soaps

2010-02-17T03:58:00.001-05:00

Dear Lazeena,

The gelatin used in our products is derived from general fish stock - they are not caught solely for the harvesting of gelatin. The gelatin is taken from fish that are being used for food purposes.

Sincerely,

"AA"
Customer Relations Representative

I guess this goes for gelatin found in any other BBW's line of products because she didn't specify the Anti-Bacterial Hand Washes (which I inquired about)... rather, she said 'our products'. Allah knows best!

A Reminder

2010-02-09T01:55:00.003-05:00

As salaamu alaikum to all,

I know it's been disgustingly long since I updated this blog, and I really do apologize for that and inshaAllah my intention is to get back into things.

First, I wanted to remind everyone (once again, even though it's already on the site for those who are quick to talk without reading) that this blog isn't meant to say THIS FOOD IS HALAL or THIS FOOD IS HARAM, as I am not knowledgeable enough to say that I can only speak for myself and my family and what we choose to use or not use. But rather it sheds light on which ingredients are in certain foods and which are not, to help people decide based on the opinion they follow if they'd like to continue consuming/using a product or not. The most followed opinion is that once there is alcohol or animal byproducts in food or even body care products it's not permissible, however there ARE other opinions. So sometimes the site will seem to be slanted in the direction of the views I favor, but no need to come battle it out with your view, this blog is for informational purposes.

I'd also like to thank the readers who follow up on certain products, within the comment sections you will see some people who took the time out to contact certain companies received additional information regarding items and I'm thankful that they are being active themselves and sharing their finds with us.

I also never thought when I first started this site that it would be helpful to people other than Muslims, which I can't believe I overlooked. So for our vegetarian, vegan, Hindu, and Jewish contributors out there, thanks a bunch! And I hope this site caters to your needs as well!

"More Ovaltine Please!"

2010-02-02T11:00:00.000-05:00

Good news for my husband - the Ovaltine addict =)

"...Ovaltine is Kosher OUD. This means it contains dairy but no other animal products..."

(This includes all their varieties: Rich Chocolate, Chocolate Malt, & Classic Malt)

Halal Gummies & Starbursts

2009-12-31T01:08:00.005-05:00

A lot of people have been emailing me and asking if I have any halal gummies in stock, and the answer is YES, alhamdulillah. I also have Starbursts too. The gummies I currently have are the softest ones I've ever tried mashaAllah! You can place your order through this website inshaAllah, and you can check out the other products:
http://shopthesouq.com/category/halal-snacks/

Shaikh Abdullah Hakim Quick's family's home was damaged by a fire this weekend!

2009-08-05T00:14:00.000-04:00

Click here to read up on what happened and how YOU can help, inshaAllah

Nature's Gate Haircare

2009-08-03T12:11:00.006-04:00

Nature's Gate haircare is both animal byproduct and alcohol free, alhamdulillah (this information can be found on the bottle too)

I bought a set of the shampoo and conditioner yesterday and used it for the first time today. My hair is definitely a bit softer than it was before, so hopefully this shampoo is a keeper! My body and hair tends to get used to things very quickly, but hopefully it won't get used to this set inshaAllah. It had a very faint, fresh, and natural smell to it.. which I really like. I don't like those neon colored shampoos that have really strong smells, this is one was really nice mashaAllah.

After checking out their website, I see they carry a line of organic products too as well as oral care, body care, and more products. I paid less than $11 for both the shampoo and conditioner, online it's a big more expensive though. Check around at your local store for it. I found it sitting in a corner with some other animal byproduct free shampoos. However, some of them shot up to even $30+ per bottle! Yikes!N

Mystery Animal Source in Cheetos

2009-07-25T21:30:00.004-04:00

Hi Lazeena,

Thank you for writing to us. The list on our website is a list of products that DO NOT contain pork. The enzyme used to make the cheese used in Cheetos Crunchy is from an animal source, but not pork.

Most cheese is made using animal enzymes animal. The source of the enzyme lends to the flavor of the cheese.

We consider you a valued consumer and hope you will continue to enjoy snacks from Frito-Lay.

Best regards,
"B"Frito-Lay Consumer Affairs

This is not the first time Cheetos has told me about 'other animal ingredients' in their Cheetos. In 2 previous e-mails they've told me the same exact thing. Also, whenever I inquire about what specific animal they tell me 'not pork' or 'if you have any allergies or religious dietary restrictions please avoid eating Cheetos'

Skittles

2009-07-13T09:46:00.003-04:00

I'm sure to most of you this is old news by now. Skittles indeed have been gelatin-free since around January, but there are still some people slowly finding out about it and rejoicing that they are now able to taste the rainbow alhamdulillah haha.

However, most likely there is a small trace of alcohol in it, for those who are wary of alcohol in foods, wAllahu ta'ala alam.

Oops

2009-06-20T03:48:00.000-04:00

I haven't posted in almost 2 months! I'm so bad! Please leave suggestions on products/brands we should look into inshaAllah. JazakAllah khayr, and thanks for not sending me vicious hate mail for my lack of updates! =)

Lender's Bagels

2009-04-28T00:07:00.002-04:00

Here's an email I received from Lender's Bagels. The bagels contain an ingredient derived from CHICKEN FEATHERS (?!?! eww..! who'd a thought?!) However, I haven't found information that would deem them as haram as the laws for zabiha meat and zabiha animal hide/exterior are different. I guess it just makes the bagels weird for now, until I find more info.

Dear Lazeena:

In the baking process yeast converts sugar into carbon dioxide and allows baked products to rise. HFCS is the sugar source in Lender's bagels that facilitates that process.

The dough conditioner in bagels, l-cycsteine is sourced from chicken - chicken feathers to be exact. This might render the bagels unacceptable for vegetarian consumption.

Beyond those requirements, the details of individual ingredients are part of our confidential formulation which we are not able to disclose.

Thank you for your e-mail.

Sincerely,
"LG"
Consumer Insights Representative

Lipton's Soups

2009-04-20T00:00:00.001-04:00

A red flag with this brand, which will now queue us to be more careful with other brands is that in their soups they may list NATURAL FLAVORS in the ingredients section, which can be derived from animals. So the next time you see NATURAL FLAVORS on anything you buy... be wary...

Hello ,

Thanks for writing!

Most of our soups contain meat, meat derivatives, or dairy products.

Here are some exceptions :

MEAT, DAIRY & EGG FREE:

RECIPE SECRETS:
- Onion
- Onion Mushroom
- Vegetable

MEAT FREE, WITH DAIRY AND/OR EGGS:

CUP-A-SOUP:
- Broccoli & Cheese
- Cream of Mushroom
- Spring Vegetable
- Tomato

Ingredients of animal origin may be listed as meat (e.g., chicken or beef), fat (as in chicken fat), extract (such as beef extract, broth, or natural flavors).

But, we checked with our brand management, and they informed us that the natural flavors may or may not be derived from animal origin. There are many mixtures that we purchase from hundreds of flavor suppliers. If you are uncomfortable about the natural flavorings used they recommend that you do not use the product as we cannot guarantee that it is not of animal origin. We hope this information is helpful.

Kind regards
Your friends at Unilever

Here are the safe ones as mentioned above:

Apple & Eve Juices

2009-04-15T01:13:00.003-04:00

Dear Lazeena:

Thank you for your e-mail regarding the Apple & Eve 100% juices.

None of our juices contain any animal derived ingredients or alcohol. Our 100% juice contains only juice with no artificial ingredients, sugars or sweeteners.

Best regards,
"RA"

Colonna Brothers Grated Cheeses

2009-04-13T22:00:00.001-04:00

All of Colonna Brother's grated cheeses are halal alhamdulillah because they use microbial enzymes in them - which seems to be the case with most grated cheeses.

You can find their grated cheeses here

This is their email:

All enzymes found in Colonna Brothers Grated Cheese are microbial, not animal based.

Regards,
"DY"
Colonna Brothers Inc.

Dawn, Joy, & Ivory Dish Liquid Detergent

2009-04-10T22:20:00.001-04:00

Dawn, Joy, and Ivory dish liquid detergents do not contain any animal derived ingredients. However, ethyl alcohol is used in all of these brands.

Thanks for contacting us.

No Animal derivatives Not found in any Dawn, Joy or Ivory product.

Ethyl alcohol is used in all versions of Dawn, Ivory, and Joy. That is the only type of alcohol in Dawn.

"KA"
P&G Team

Andy Capp Fries (Hot Fries, Cheddar Fries...)

2009-04-08T20:31:00.001-04:00

Dear Lazeena,

All of the Andy Capp Fries would be considered to contain animal derivatives. The Cheddar Fries, Chili Cheese and the White Cheddar steak Fries all contain cheese. The Hot Fries contain whey. The whey is animal derived.

Sincerely, Consumer Affairs

New Hijabs, Pins, Gummies and other candies!

2009-04-05T00:20:00.002-04:00

I've finally gotten the new items for my little online souq

They include:

New hijabs! (pashminas, shaylas, amiras, and square hijabs)
New hijab pins
Candies: Halal Starburst (Original and Strawberry Mixed flavors) Halal gummies (variety of flavors)
Chocolates: I've added a few chocolates which are not native to the US, so it's something sweet to treat yourself to! ;)

Check out http://souq.shutterfly.com for the products, information, pricing, and how to order.

Keep checking on and off too, I'll be adding items periodically over the next week. If you want me to hold something for you (at a negotiated and reasonable amount of time) then I am willing to do that too.

continued on my other blog..

Smashbox Cosmetics

2009-04-04T02:00:00.001-04:00

Please be careful when shopping for cosmetics from Shambox. Take extra care in which varities you get as well. A lot of them contain insect coloring among other animal derived ingredients they didn't delve too much into in explaining. I've provided links for all the cosmetics below, just click on the name and it'll take you to Smashbox's website with the product info.

EMAIL FROM SMASHBOX:

Thank you for contacting us. "Animals" is a term widely recognized to mean mammals. Our cosmetics are free of animal ingredients. Some vegans may also consider "insects" to be animals. Some time ago, Smashbox determined that our official interpretation of "No animal ingredients" means "No animal ingredients…insects are not animals". We have continued to use Carmine, Beeswax, and Honey in some of our cosmetic formulations. Our brushes are not cosmetics so technically are not subject to this claim, we continue to produce both synthetic and natural fiber brushes.

Our Core Item Vegan List is as follows:

Anti-Shine, Neutral

Artificial Light Luminizing Lotion in Diffuse, Flash & Glow

Bronze Lights in Suntan Matte & Sunkissed Matte

Camera Ready Full Coverage Foundation, All Shades

Camera Ready Full Coverage Concealer, All Shades

Compact Anti-Shine

Cream Eye Liner in Picasso, Thunder, Caviar, Midnight Brown, Scout, Lava, Putty & Image (MIDNIGHT PURPLE variety NOT INCLUDED!!!)

Eyelights in Flash (BEAM and STROBE varieties NOT INCLUDED!!!)

Eye Shadow in Vanilla, Sand, Bliss, Platinum, Nude, Shell, Oyster, Ink, Java, Safari, Walnut, Ambient, Eye Shadow in 24K, Serpent, Lagoon, Obsidian, Blackout, Envy, Flirt, Champagne, Zoom (MINX, BRAZILIAN BRONZE, CABERNET, CINNAMON TOAST,SPELLBOUND, FIZZ, RAPTURE, FLAMINGO, HONEY, TORCH, and SIENNA varieties are NOT INCLUDED!!)

Eye Shadow Trio in Smashbox.com, Twilight, Microfilm, Shutterspeed (CENTER STAGE, PANORAMA, HEAD SHOT, MULTI-FLASH, ON STAGE and VIEWFINDER varieties are NOT INCLUDED!!!)

Filter (Photo Finish Primer Pen)

Fusion Soft Lights, Baked Starburst

Fusion Soft Lights, Dusk (INTERMIX variety is NOT INCLUDED!!!)

Halo Hydrating Perfecting Powder, All Shades

Jet Set in Midnight Black, Dark Brown, Bronze, Navy Blue (MIDNIGHT PURPLE variety NOT INCLUDED!!!)

Lip Brilliance, Transparencies (LIGHTBOX, SKYBOX and STAGE 2 varities are NOT INCLUDED!!!)
Lip Enhancing Gloss in Starlit, Flash, 35MM, Aura, Crystal, Pop, Spark, Afterglow, Expose, Candid, Siren, Scoop, Radiant, Debut, Fame, Luxe, Surge, Hype, Pixel, Beauty, Pout, Electric (ICON and ILLUME varieties are NOT INCLUDED!!!)

O-Bronze

O-Glow

O-Gloss

O-Plump

Photo Finish Lipstick, All Shades

Photo Finish Foundation Primer, All Sizes

Photo Finish Color Correcting Primer, All Shades & Sizes

Photo Finish Bronzing Foundation Primer, All Sizes

Photo Finish UVA/UVB SPF 15 Foundation Primer, All Sizes

Primer Light, All Sizes

Waterproof Shadow Liner Duo in Cashmere & Smolder (GODDESS and SLATE varieties are NOT INCLUDED!!!)

Best Wishes,

SMASHBOX COSMETICS

Pert Plus Shampoo

2009-04-02T23:30:00.001-04:00

Dear Valued Customer,

Thank you for contacting Pert Plus Consumer Relations.

Like most shampoo's, the Pert Plus line does contain tallow which is a animal derived ingredient and alcohol in some of the fragrances.

A complete list of ingredients can be found on the back of all Pert Plus bottles.

Thank you for contacting Pert Plus Consumer Relations.
"DJ"
Consumer Response Representative

Nature's Own Breads

2009-04-02T00:22:00.001-04:00

Dear Lazeena:

There are no alcohol containing ingredients used in our Nature's Own formulas.

Some of our products do contain butter from cows and some contain honey.

L-cysteine is not an ingredient in the Nature's Own formulas.

The Double Fiber 20 ounce bread contains Omega 3 from a fish oil source.

Thank you for your interest in our products.

"CM"
V P Technical Services/Quality Assurance/Regulatory Flowers Foods

This response is for all their products (their breads, muffins, English muffins, bagels, buns, and rolls). If yo visit their website and select a specific product, it will list the ingredients there for you.

Curel Lotion

2009-04-01T00:22:00.001-04:00

For Curel lotion, the company is 'unsure' of what specifically goes into it and basically takes whatever materials are available at the time and use it in their lotions.

Dear Lazeena:

Our Biore products have only plant derived or synthetic ingredients.

For Jergens, our Naturals Renew, Naturals Hydrate and Naturals Refresh are also free of animal derived ingredients However, for our other products, we cannot guarantee the lack of animal derived ingredients because we use multiple suppliers for a variety of our materials who can change sources at any time due to market conditions.

Cordially,
Kao Brands Consumer Relations Dept.

Ban Biore Curel Jergens John Frieda

Tom's of Maine (Toothpaste, Deodorant, Mouthwash, Soaps)

2009-03-30T23:45:00.003-04:00

Tom's of Maine's products are animal ingredient free and also alcohol free alhamdulillah. My parent's have been using their mouthwash for years and I swear my dad woke up with fresh breath... okay sorta... but my point is it's good, strong stuff....... and halal too! Wippie!

"Our support of non-animal-testing models also includes the belief that we don’t need to use animal ingredients to create effective products. Just one example: glycerin, used in toothpastes and soaps, is often made from animal ingredients, but ours is vegetable-based." Taken from here.

"Because of health concerns, we do not use alcohol in our products..." Taken from the FAQ section.

Check out their website to get familiar with some of their products!

Bertolli Pasta Sauce

2009-03-30T01:01:00.001-04:00

If you buy Bertolli's pasta sauces, please keep these matters in mind:

Any label listing CHEESE, or any type of cheese, is most likely derived from PORK.
Avoid any variety with BEEF/MEAT FLAVORING
Of course avoid all of their VODKA SAUCES, because obviously there is Vodka inside
They also said they use SHERRY WINE in their products, but didn't specify if this was always on their label or if you used it in all the sauces. I would switch to a different brand to be on the safer side.

Hello Lazeena,

Thanks for writing!

Bertolli sauces do not contain animal or animal derived ingredients unless listed on label, e.g., cheese, cream, etc. The label may also specify that the product is flavored with "beef" or "meat" . The "Meat" is always beef. However, the cheese in products may be produced using ingredients derived from pork. You must check each label. If the product contains cheese, then you must assume it contains a pork derivative.

The wine used in our product is a sherry wine with a very minimal alcohol content. The Unilever and home cooking processes almost eliminate the alcohol entirely. The wine is really just a flavoring agent.

In our Vodka sauce, the recipe includes 2 1/2% Vodka for flavoring purposes only. Most of the spirits evaporate during the reheating process leaving behind only the flavor.

Kind regards,
Your friends at Bertolli

Nestle Hot Chocolate

2009-03-27T23:00:00.001-04:00

A lot of hot chocolates contain MONO AND DIGLYCERIDES and/or WHEY.

This is what Nestle had to say about their hot chocolate:

Dear Lazeena,

None of the Nestle Hot Cocoa flavors contain any animal derivatives except the products with marshmallows, as the gelatin comes from pork.

Sincerely,
"BW"
Consumer Response Representative

Aussie Shampoo

2009-03-27T00:07:00.001-04:00

Aussie and Herbal Essences are both owned by the same company, so the response I got from them was the same I'd received for Herbal Essences ... that they sometimes use animal products but cannot indicate exactly when.

Thank you for contacting Aussie.

All of our products may or may not contain animal by-products, depending on what ingredient source was available at the time of manufacture. The ingredients used may be derived from a variety of vegetable sources or animal sources (typically beef or pork). I

ngredients that may be derived from animals are fatty alcohols, fragrance, gelatin, glycerin, hydrolyzed collagen, keratin amino acids, and tallow glycerides. Clairol/P&G uses vegetable sources whenever possible!

The Consumer Relations Team

Arm & Hammer Liquid Detergent

2009-03-26T02:24:00.001-04:00

Dear Lazeena:

Thank you for contacting us recently regarding ARM & HAMMER® Liquid Laundry Detergent.

We appreciate your interest in our product. We do have animal by-products in our detergent.

"RER"
Consumer Relations Specialist

(This includes all varieties of Arm & Hammer Liquid detergents)

Wise Dips and Salsas

2009-03-25T00:01:00.005-04:00

None of the Wise Dips or Salsas are halal. I do not know what exactly is in them but customer service told me that they are not kosher, meaning that they do contain animal byproducts.

The Dips and Salsa products include:

Bravos Mild Salsa
Bravos Medium Salsa
Bravos Hot Salsa
Wise Nacho Cheese Dip
Wise French Onion Dip
Wise Green Onion (Dip Mix)

Here are some images to help you see what the actual product and packaging looks like:

Sensodyne Toothpaste

2009-03-24T00:07:00.001-04:00

Dear Lazeena,

We have received your e-mail regarding Sensodyne® toothpaste.

Sensodyne® toothpaste products do not contain animal derivatives. The toothpaste does contain glycerin; however, the glycerin is from a vegetable source.

Sincerely,
"R"
GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare

V8 Juices

2009-03-22T22:00:00.001-04:00

V8 juices are all halal and vegan even. They have 3 different types (V8 Splash, V8 Juice, & V8 V-Fusion) with several flavors, all of which are permissible inshaAllah.

Smucker's Jellies, Jams, and Preserves

2009-03-21T23:00:00.001-04:00

Dear Lazeena ,

In response to your inquiry, Smucker's Jelly, Jam and Preserves do not contain any animal derivatives or alcohol.

Sincerely,
"TG"

Tums

2009-03-21T00:02:00.001-04:00

The only Tums varieties that are not okay are EX Sugar Free and Tums Smoothies.

The rest do not contain animal derived ingredients, they are:

TUMS Dual Action
TUMS Quik Pak
TUMS Ultra 2000
TUMS EX 750
TUMS Regular Strength
TUMS Kids
TUMS "To Go"

Dear Lazeena,

We have received your e-mail message regarding Tums® antacid/calcium supplement.

The Tums® EX Sugar Free and the Tums® Smoothies contain animal derivatives.

All other variants of Tums® do not.

We appreciate your taking the time to contact us.

Sincerely,
"S"
GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare

Hostess Snacks

2009-03-18T00:02:00.001-04:00

Hostess, my friends, is a big no-no. None of their products are okay.

Here is a list of Hostess Products:

Twinkies
CupCakes
HoHo's
Suzy Q's
Ding Dongs
Donettes
Mini Muffins
Sno Balls
Fruit Pies

I used to be a Fruit Pie addict! I loved the apple ones, but a few years ago I stopped finding them at the store and eventually gave up on them.

Here's a summary of what the email says for any lazy bums who don't feel like reading it =)

FRUIT PIES contain BEEF FAT
SHORTENING on the ingredient label can be from either VEGETABLE or BEEF sources
BEEF FAT is used in the CREAM FILLINGS
BEEF FAT is also used in the FRYING OIL
GELATIN on the ingredient label is always from PORK

Here is the email:

Dear Lazeena,

Thank you for your thoughtfulness in contacting us regarding the shortening ingredients used in our products.

Our Hostess Fruit pies contain beef fat. The shortening ingredients noted on our labels are: vegetable (may be soybean and/or canola and/or cottonseed and/or palm oil) and beef shortening. "Beef Fat" when noted, is a very small trace used in the creamy fillings of our cakes for taste. Also, it is used in a trace amount in the vegetable oil frying medium.

Gelatin, when noted on the ingredient legend is pork sourced. Gelatin is used in the squiggle of our Hostess® and Dolly Madison® cupcakes and also in the Hostess® SnoBalls.

Thank you for contacting us...

Sincerely,
CM
Consumer Response Representative

Jergen's Lotion

2009-03-16T16:00:00.001-04:00

Lazeena:

We are always pleased to hear from our consumers and your comments are very important to us.

For Jergens, our Naturals Renew, Naturals Hydrate and Naturals Refresh are free of animal derived ingredients

However, for our other products, we cannot guarantee the lack of animal derived ingredients because we use multiple suppliers for a variety of our materials who can change sources at any time due to market conditions.

Thank you for the opportunity to be of service.

Cordially,

Kao Brands Consumer Relations Dept.
Ban Biore Curel Jergens John Frieda

So from the Jergen's Natural's collection of Lotions, 3 of the 4 are okay - Natural Soothes are NOT. Aside from the Natural Collection, they also have a Soften, Smooth, Enhance, Nourish and Preserve collection of lotions which all seem to have animal bi-products.

The links are provided for the different collections, so if you use Jergen's you can double check and compare the bottle image on the site to the one you have to be sure if you're using an okay one or not.

Barilla Pasta Sauce

2009-03-15T21:00:00.001-04:00

Pasta sauces seem to be a tricky product. Here is an email from Barilla stating that only a few products contain ingredients that we cannot consume, however, they said that they share equipment between all the other flavors so there's contamination between ingredients. They shouldn't be allowed to mix equipment! That's bad for Halal eaters, Kosher eaters, and Vegans customers!

Good Morning Lazeena,

Thank you for your recent email to Barilla America, Inc.

The Barilla Green & Black Olive contains wine. The Barilla Three Cheese sauce contains cheese. Both of these products are made on the share equipment with our other sauces.

We hope that you continue to enjoy Barilla Pasta & Sauces.

Regards,
"D"
Consumer Relations Barilla America, Inc.

Biore Facial Products

2009-03-15T13:00:00.001-04:00

Lazeena:

Our Biore products have only plant derived or synthetic ingredients.

Thank you for the opportunity to be of service.

Cordially,

Kao Brands Consumer Relations Dept.
Ban Biore Curel Jergens John Frieda

Silk Soy Milk

2009-03-15T00:02:00.002-04:00

Taken from Silk's website:

Are Silk products vegan?

Yes, completely! There are no animal derivatives hidden in any of the ingredients. The lactic acid and live cultures used in Silk soy yogurt come from a vegetable source. All vitamins used to fortify Silk Soymilk are derived from vegetable sources including calcium carbonate that comes from limestone.

Snyder's of Hanover (Pretzels and Snacks)

2009-03-11T15:30:00.001-04:00

Snyder's of Hanover says that any of their products labeled as Kosher, does not contain any animal derived ingredients. They sent me the Letter of Certification by the Orthodox Union, I'm not sure if the link will work or not.

In any event, inshaAllah just check for whatever has the kosher sign (in this range of products) and they are safe for consumption inshaAllah.

They make several pretzel snacks, some chips and a few popcorn flavors. This is their product page

(Just a collage of some of their products, I don't know which ones here are halal or not)

For some reason in the string of 4 emails I sent in response to their emails, even though I signed my name LAZEENA each time, this person called me LATEEN each time! ughh.. LOL

Lateen,
I hope this helps.

There is no meat or meat derived ingredients in our products if they have the OU symbol on the package.

However, if you must avoid milk this ingredient will be listed in the ingredient section.

Thanks for your interest in Snyder's of Hanover.

Philadelphia Cream Cheese & Neufchatel Cheese

2009-03-10T16:00:00.001-04:00

Nothing beats this stuff, thank Allah it's halal!

Hi Lazeena,

Soft cheeses utilize another method of coagulating milk by the growth of pure cultures of bacteria in the milk and the development of lactic acid.

Our cream cheese products such as PHILADELPHIA BRAND Cream Cheese and Light PHILADELPHIA BRAND Neufchatel Cheese fall into this category.

"KM"
Associate Director,
Consumer Relations

Coffee-Mate Creamers

2009-03-10T00:00:00.001-04:00

Nestle says that none of their creamers contain any animal derived ingredients *phew* alhamdulillah. The only thing in it animal derived is something from milk, and milk is okay for us.

Dear Lazeena,

The only animal derivative in our products is sodium caseinate, a milk derivative, as stated on our label...

Sincerely,
"BW"

Swiss Miss Hot Cocoa

2009-03-09T01:00:00.002-04:00

All but the flavors with marshmallows are okay.

Dear Lazeena,

The mono & diglycerides in Swiss Miss products are all plant derived.

The marshmallows in varieties that contain marshmallows are made with gelatin derived exclusively from North American Pork.

Sincerely,
"E"

Kraft: Snackwells Cookies

2009-03-08T17:00:00.001-04:00

These snacks contain gelatin in them, which is derived from either beef or pig. I believe all of them contain gelatin - I may be wrong. If it doesn't contain gelatin then as of right now I do not know if they are still okay... but most of these are to be avoided inshaAllah

Ensure Drink

2009-03-08T00:00:00.001-05:00

Hello Lazeena,

Thank you for contacting Abbott Nutrition.

Ensure(R) products do not contain animal ingredients aside from cow milk proteins.

Please let us know if we can be of further assistance.

Sincerely,
"L"
Consumer Relations
Abbott Nutrition

Ricola

2009-03-07T16:30:00.000-05:00

Dear Lazeena,

In response to your question, Ricola does not contain any ingredients derived from animal ingredients or alcohol.

Sincerely, Ricola USA Inc.
"FF"
Customer Relations

Nesquik

2009-03-07T00:00:00.000-05:00

This includes all flavors of the beverage.

Dear Ms. Lazeena,

We have reviewed your email and researched your inquiry.

Our Ready to Drink product is Kosher OUD which indicates dairy only. "Kosher OUD" also means no other animal products.

Sincerely,
"BW"
Consumer Response Representative

Prego Pasta Sauce

2009-03-06T00:00:00.001-05:00

Prego's pasta sauces are ALL haram, except for the Organic Sauces:

Organic Tomato & Basil Italian Sauce
Organic Mushroom Italian Sauce

I wasn't told what was in the rest of them which made them impermissible, but I was advised by Campbell to not consume them if I didn't eat products with animal derivatives in them. The Organic sauces are also Vegan I was told.

Mike and Ike Candies

2009-03-05T00:00:00.002-05:00

All current Mike and Ike candies do not contain any animal derived ingredients in them:

Dear Lazeena,

There are no animal derived ingredients in our MIKE AND IKE® Brand Candies.

Regards,
"SAL"

Sunny Delight (Orange Juice Drink)

2009-03-04T16:10:00.001-05:00

I never really liked this for some reason... I remember when I was younger on the news I'd heard there was a young girl who for a while drank almost an entire liter of this stuff a day and her skin color started having an orange glow from it! haha

Good Afternoon,

Thank you for contacting Sunny D.

None of our Sunny D versions contain animal fats or animal by-products.

Thank you again for your inquiry.

Have a wonderful day!

Sincerely,
Sunny Delight Beverages Co Consumer Relations Department

Smartfood: White Cheddar Popcorn

2009-03-01T22:45:00.003-05:00

Ah, how I miss thee!

Dear Lazeena:

We are pleased to respond to your recent inquiry concerning pork-related ingredients used in some of our seasoned products.

While some Frito-Lay snacks do contain enzymes from porcine sources, many do not.

Smartfood has animal enzymes in the cheese.

Sincerely,
"T"
Consumer Affairs

Skippy Peanut Butter

2009-03-01T22:28:00.001-05:00

Skippy says that when buying their peanut butters, to look out for the following ingredients as they may come from animal sources:

Meat
Fat
Extract

Yes... very vague and I doubt they would be exactly listed as such on the label. The person who replied back didn't seem that friendly. In the question I sent I just mentioned that I was Muslim and that I follow a certain diet (due to religious laws) and they responded weirdly to it... or maybe it's just me!

Hi Lazeena,

Our products are formulated for use by the majority of consumers and not specifically for those on restricted diets.

Ingredients derived from animal origins may be listed as meat, fat and extract (e.g., chicken, beef or natural flavors).

Changes in existing products can occur without notification. We suggest reading all ingredient labels carefully.

Hope this information is helpful! Your friends at Skippy

UHMM....?? Maybe I'll try again and maybe someone else may respond and make more sense!

Ellio's Frozen Pizza

2009-03-01T15:00:00.003-05:00

I used to LOVE these as a kid. So easy to make, and in my opinion, were pretty tasty for a frozen pizza. However, after realizing there was no kosher symbol I stopped eating it when I was like... 11. Almost 10 years later, it's still not certified kosher, or halal, because they get their cheese from a variety sources, therefore they're not able to keep track of where enzymes come from.

I found this before emailing them while checking their FAQ section

Nestle Nips

2009-03-01T09:37:00.001-05:00

Nestle's Nips (all flavors except 'Buttered Rum') is halal and made using only vegetable derived ingredients, as confirmed by Nestle.

Pepperidge Farm Breads

2009-02-28T17:00:00.001-05:00

Pepperidge Farm says that the only ingredient in their bread which can even be derived from animals are the mono and diglycerides. However, they get theirs from a plant source.

Classico Pasta Sauces

2009-02-27T22:00:00.002-05:00

It seems that most of their sauces are good alhamdulillah, in comparison to a lot of the other brands I've learned about.

Here's what to keep in mind when shopping for their sauces:

PARMESAN CHEESE: made using microbial enzymes, so if ONLY Parmesan cheese is in it, it's okay
ROMANO CHEESE: derived from animals
ALL OTHER CHEESES: are animal derived
Avoid if any type of alcohol is listed in the ingredients
Even though mainly Parmesan is used in the Alfredo sauces, the cheese for Alfredo sauces are specially made and therefore DO contain animal ingredients.

Here's the email I received:

Dear Lazeena,

The source of 'enzymes' in our sauces can be animal or microbial. The red sauces that contain Romano cheese, the source of the enzymes is animal. For those red sauces that contain Parmesan cheese, the source of the enzymes is microbial. In all Alfredo sauces, the cheese 'enzymes' are derived from animal sources. Alcohol is not used in our product, if it is used that would appear on the ingredient statement.

Heinz Consumer Resource Center

The website lists their many variety of sauces here, and also includes the ingredients label.

I did my own research and compiled this list of which sauces are halal and which are haram

Halal:

Triple Mushroom
Organic Tomato, Herbs & Spices
Tomato & Basil
Roasted Garlic
Traditional Sweet Basil
Organic Spinach & Garlic
Marinara with Plum Tomatoes
Sun-dried Tomato
Fire-Roasted Tomato & Garlic
Spicy Red Pepper
Mushroom & Ripe Olives
Caramelized Onion & Roasted Garlic
Spicy Tomato & Basil

Haram/Questionable:

Four Cheese
Italian Sausage with Peppers and Onions
Vodka Sauce
Spicy Tomato & Pesto
Florentine Spinach & Cheese
Cabernet Marinara with Herbs
All Alfredo Sauces

I'd like to at least try these =) mmmm *drool*

V05 Hair Products

2009-02-27T12:50:00.002-05:00

I think for a while it's been known that V05 Hair Products contain animal derived ingredients. Well, things are still the same.

Dear Lazeena,

In regards to your query on animal ingredients hydrolyzed animal protein, collagen, and elastin are by-products of the meat processing industry, but none are pork derived.

Animals are not killed for obtaining these ingredients. Some of our products do contain animal ingredients through the raw materials we get from outside sources.

We therefore can not state that our products are animal by-product free.

Sincerely,
"KS"

This picture was taken by someone who found the shampoo bottle in their closet after who knows how long. Point is... it's supposed to be CLEAR! What the heck happened to the shampoo? =/ Ewwww!

V8 Soups

2009-02-26T01:00:00.001-05:00

Campbell's V8 Soups are all free of animal derived ingredients. Currently they have only 5 varieties, they are:

V8 Golden Butternut Squash Soup
V8 Garden Broccoli Soup
V8 Southwestern Corn Soup
V8 Tomato Herb Soup
V8 Sweet Red Pepper Soup

Wise: Cheez Doodles

2009-02-25T22:30:00.001-05:00

It breaks my heart to think about Wise's Cheez Doodles. I was so in love with them. I await the day I can get my hands on a halal version of these. Sometimes if I close my eyes and open my mouth, I can still taste them..... okay not really haha.

All of Wise's cheese flavored snacks contain animal derived ingredients:

Puffed Cheez Doodles
White Cheddar Puffed Cheez Doodles
Doodle O's
Crunchy Cheez Doodles
Reduced Fat Crunchy Cheez Doodles

Stride Gum

2009-02-25T16:00:00.001-05:00

Dear Lazeena:

Thank you for contacting us about Stride. Your comments and inquiries are appreciated because they provide valuable feedback about our brands.

There are no animal related ingredients in Stride.

Thank you

Gatorade

2009-02-25T00:45:00.001-05:00

Believe it or not, just the other day I heard people condemning others for drinking Gatorade. Why? They told them it contained HORMONES! hahaha

Okay this beverage contains electrolytes and vitamins, geared to refuel the body and keep you properly hydrated. This is why when we're sick, sometimes the doctor may tell us to drink Gatorade to add extra vitamins and minerals into our body. There are some added things in Gatorade which cannot be found in water.

So nooo, there are no hormones in Gatorade! But to set the record straight for people who follow rumors:

Lazeena:

You will be glad to know that there are no animal derived ingredients in any of the varieties of Gatorade Thirst Quencher, Gatorade Endurance Formula, Propel Fit Water or the Gatorade Energy Drink.

"G"
Gatorade Consumer Relations

I don't know why everything on the product is in Korean except "Thirst Quencher" haha

Vaseline Products

2009-02-24T16:20:00.002-05:00

Vaseline says that their lip products do not contain any animal derived ingredients...

HOWEVER, if their lotions contain GLYCERIN or STEARIC ACID then it does contain animal by-products:

There are no animal products or by-products in Vaseline® Lip products. Additionally, any product containing Glycerin and/or Stearic Acid does contain animal by-products. Stearic Acid comes from beef tallow and Glycerin may be either synthetic or natural which is derived from beef tallow or coconut.

Please check for these two ingredients on their lotion bottles when considering purchasing them.

Herbal Essences

2009-02-23T22:20:00.002-05:00

Thank you for contacting Herbal Essences.

The alcohol used in our products is a moisturizing alcohol, also known as fatty alcohol. It may be listed on the label as cetyl, stearyl, myristal, behenyl, or ethel. Fatty alcohol can come from a number of sources such as petroleum, coconut oil, or animal tallow (beef or pork).

All of our products may or may not contain animal by-products, depending on what ingredient source was available at the time of manufacture. The ingredients used may be derived from a variety of vegetable sources or animal sources (typically beef or pork). Ingredients that may be derived from animals are fatty alcohols, fragrance, gelatin, glycerin, hydrolyzed collagen, keratin amino acids, and tallow glycerides. Clairol/P&G uses vegetable sources whenever possible!

The Consumer Relations Team

Unfortunately for us, whenever possible isn't good enough. We never know when something has vegetable derivatives or pork derivatives in it. On top of that, since they use both, the machinery is obviously mixed - causing contamination anyway.

"Clairol/P&G uses vegetable sources whenever possible!" what the..?! Everything they listed, which is like half of what's on the bottle's ingredients, are from animals! Thanks, but no thanks. Really, I buy whatever shampoos on sale. The best venue with shampoo if you're really looking for stunning, healthy hair... is something all natural. These shampoos contain all types of weird things. A lot of them have ingredients that cause build up on your hair and causes problems in the long run. Use these salon type shampoos sparingly.

Some people feel since it's just used on hair it doesn't matter.

Please remember this blog is for informational purposes and if you follow that opinion or not is up to you :)

Francesco Rinaldi Pasta Sauce

2009-02-22T12:00:00.001-05:00

The following pasta sauces are the only ones without any animal derived ingredients:

Marinara
Garden Combo
Diavolo
Super Mushroom
Tomato & Basil
Mushroom & Onion
Sweet & Tasty

The rest are not okay. For a full list of their sauces with their ingredients you can check here, in case you're wondering why a certain type is not okay.

I was wondering why Super Mushroom and Mushroom & Onion were okay but regular Mushroom was not, this is because there is cheese in the regular Mushroom variety and the 2 listed on the 'okay' list do not have cheese.

Lazeena

Thank you for the follow up.

You are correct regarding the various sources for enzymes and rennet used to make cheese. We do use a variety of difference cheeses in our sauces, and several are made with enzymes sourced from ruminants (cow, sheep, and goat).

With this in mind however we do make a selection of sauces which do not contain cheese or any other ingredients sourced from animals. Among these are our Marinara, Garden Combo, Diavolo, Super Mushroom, Tomato & Basil, Mushroom & Onion, and Sweet & Tasty sauces.

A complete listing of our sauces is available at:

http://www.francescorinaldi.com/products/products.asp

Clicking on the link for each sauce will bring up the ingredient listing for each.

Please note that our Marinara and our Tomato Basil sauces in 24 oz jars are both certified Kosher.

As always, let me know if I can provide further info

Thanks,
"MS"

Kellogg's Frosted Mini Wheats

2009-02-21T20:30:00.001-05:00

This products DOES contain beef gelatin, as stated by Kellogg's on their websites FAQ section.

HARAM:

Frosted Mini-Wheats® Little Bites Chocolate
Frosted Mini-Wheats® Little Bites Honey Nut
Frosted Mini-Wheats® Big Bite
Frosted Mini-Wheats® Bite Size
Frosted Mini-Wheats® Blueberry Muffin
Frosted Mini-Wheats® Cinnamon Streusel
Frosted Mini-Wheats® Maple & Brown Sugar
Frosted Mini-Wheats® Strawberry Delight

The only HALAL one is the UNFROSTED variety.

Juicy Juice

2009-02-21T17:00:00.000-05:00

Dear Ms. Hosain,

Thank you for taking the time to contact Nestlé®, regarding a list of Juicy Juices which contain animal bi-products. We welcome questions and comments from loyal consumers such as yourself and appreciate this opportunity to assist you.

There are no animal bi-products or alcohol in any of the Juicy Juice flavors. Juicy Juice is made from 100% fruit juice. There are no added sweeteners, artificial colors, flavors or preservatives.

At Nestlé, your feedback is valuable to us, as it helps us to improve our products and services. We hope you will visit our website often for the latest information on our products and promotions.

Sincerely,
"BW"
Consumer Response Representative

Aside from being one of the better juice choices, Juicy Juice also makes "Harvest Surprise" with added vegetable juice which I've heard is not detectable... perfect for little picky eaters!

Bravo's Nacho Cheese Tortilla Chips

2009-02-19T22:40:00.002-05:00

Bravo's Nacho Cheese Tortilla Chips made by Wise are not halal. I'm sure most people figured so after the Dorito craze and since it contains cheddar cheese - most chips/crackers with cheddar cheeses are not halal. These are not certified Kosher either.

While the Nacho Cheese flavor is not halal, the other flavors they make are. These include:

White Round Tortilla Chips
Restaurant Style Tortilla Chips (White Corn)
Peppercorn Ranch Flavored Tortilla Chips
Sweet Pepper Flavored Tortilla Chips

JIF Peanut Butter

2009-02-19T04:00:00.001-05:00

Don't freak out! This is just to confirm that Jif PB is halal inshaAllah.

Dear Ms. Hosain,

This letter is in reference to your recent contact with Jif. We appreciate the time you have taken to contact us and most certainly enjoy hearing from consumers who enjoy our products.

In response to your inquiry, the Jif Peanut Butter does not contain any animal derivatives.

Sincerely,
"SC"
Consumer Relations Representative

Check out this JIF container from 1958

Dial Antibacterial Body Wash

2009-02-15T14:00:00.005-05:00

Okay, clearly the person who responded to this was...

Busy eating
Falling asleep
Drunk OR
Still learning English

Dear:

Thank for taking the time to contact us regarding Dial Antibacterial Body Wash.

This product contain glycerin. whocj os am animal by-product...........

Consumer Affairs

HAHAHAHAHA

So anyway, there are animal by-products in this body wash, and I double checked after getting this wacko response.

Xtra Detergent & Fabric Softeners

2009-02-14T20:00:00.001-05:00

I know... it sounds weird that laundry detergents and softeners can contain animal products in them - but they do. Who wants to cuddle up in their bedsheets which when tossed in the dryer had beef fat rubbed all over them? Bizarre! Okay so maybe that's a little far fetched haha, but technically speaking that's what happening!

Dear Lazeena:

Thank you for contacting us recently regarding XTRA® Liquid Laundry Detergent.
We appreciate your interest in our product.

While our XTRA® Detergents do not contain animal by-products, the fabric softeners and softener sheets do. Other ingredient information is considered proprietary.

Again, thank you for taking the time and having the interest to contact us.

CR
Consumer Relations Representative

From the response, we know that Xtra Detergent is an animal-free product, whereas the fabric softener sheets AND liquid does contain animal derived ingredients in the

Ritz Bits

2009-02-14T10:00:00.001-05:00

I remember eating the Ritz Bits with cheese when I was a kid... man they were really good!

When I contacted them they were pretty vague with the answer, nonetheless, they still provided one:

"To the best of our knowledge, there is an animal derived ingredient used in Ritz Crackers containing cheese"

*shrug* It just seems haram to me. It would have been nice to know exactly WHAT was in it, but they haven't gotten back to me about that... for two months now... so yeah...

Well, their cheese is from Kraft... and any Kraft cheddar/American cheese has animal ingredients

Oh and of course the Smore's flavor one is haram as well, because of the marshmallow.

SuperMoist Cake Mixes

2009-02-11T23:51:00.007-05:00

Betty Crocker's SuperMoist cake mixes are animal ingredient free - this includes all flavor varieties.

Superpretzel

2009-02-11T19:11:00.010-05:00

These are soft, frozen pretzels which you just pop into the oven to bake for a little and they come out as warm, chewy pretzels.

Aside from their original pretzel flavor, they make some "Pretzelfils" which contain cheese on the inside. None of the Pretzelfils are halal, only the original flavored pretzels are okay.

These are the ones that are NOT okay:

Pizza Pretzelfils
Pepperjack Pretzelfils
Mozzarella Pretzelfils
Superpretzel Softstix (filled with Kraft cheese)

Someone asked me to look this one up. I've never tried these before, but it's been YEARS since I've had a delicious, warm pretzel... so I might just give it a shot. Now that I think about the local mall has a pretzel place and I might be better off with those. Me and pretzels are like a 1 time thing... you know there are some things you just have once in a while, otherwise you wouldn't enjoy them? mmm They make these cinnamon pretzels with a sweet frosting-type cream sauce poured over it... ahh I sense a field trip for tomorrow!

Friendship Dairy Products

2009-02-11T16:40:00.008-05:00

On the Friendship site they confirm that none of their products contain any animal derived ingredients and that they're products are even Vegan friendly.

Their FAQ section states:

Are Friendship products considered Vegetarian? All Friendship products conform to vegetarian Diet standards. No animal-based cultures or enzymes are used in Friendship products.

So their sour cream, buttermilk, yogurt, farmer cheeses, and all their cottage cheeses are perfectly fine to eat alhamdulillah.

Tropicana Pure Orange Juice

2009-02-09T00:57:00.013-05:00

This refers only to Tropicana Pure Premium drinks which can be found on this page

To make matters clear - some of their flavors contain cochineal/carmine, the insect coloring (which I did a post on previously, which can be found here). For those of you who've decided on avoiding this ingredient, make sure you check your Tropicana for it.

Their orange juices containing Omega - 3 contains fish oil and fish gelatin which is permissible for us, alhamdulillah.

Lazeena:

We'd be delighted to answer your questions about Tropicana Orange Juice.

With regards to animal derived ingredients being included, most of Tropicana's juice products are vegetarian/vegan. There are a few juices which contain cochineal/carmine (which will be listed in the ingredients if contained in a product) and Tropicana Healthy Heart Orange Juice containing Omega-3.

We began listing carmine, a natural color, several years ago on the ingredient labels of those juices containing this ingredient. Primarily, carmine is used in our non-refrigerated juices. However, Tropicana's packaging is clearly labeled and complies with current government regulations.

The source of Omega-3's used in Tropicana Healthy Heart Orange Juice is called MEG-3 (fish oil and fish gelatin). It contains tilapia, sardine and anchovy.

We hope this information is helpful, Lazeena. Thank you for your business and interest in our products.

"M"
Tropicana Consumer Relations

The website does not contain an ingredients list for each flavor, so you'll have to check at the supermarket, here is a list of the Tropicana Pure varieties to check for the dye in them:

Pulp Free
Some Pulp
High Pulp
Pulp Free Calcium + Vitamin D
High Pulp + Calcium
Healthy Kids
Antioxidant Advantage
Healthy Heart With Omega-3
Low Acid
Golden Grapefruit
Ruby Red Grapefruit
Ruby Red Grapefruit With Calcium
Orange Strawberry Banana
Orange Tangerine
Orange Pineapple
Grape
Cranberry Juice Cocktail
Orchard Style Apple

Am I the only one who prefers the older packaging? :

Gummy Sweetarts & Nerds Rope

2009-02-09T00:08:00.007-05:00

These two products contain animal derived gelatin; Gummy Sweetarts and Nerds Rope

Dear Ms. Hosain,

Thank you for contacting Nestlé® Butterfinger® .

I would like to assure you that the only animal-derived ingredients used in our candy products are milk, eggs, and gelatin. The gelatin is used in our Gummy SweeTARTS and Nerds Rope. All of our other ingredients are either from a vegetable-derived source or are created synthetically.

We appreciate your interest and hope you will visit our website often for the latest information on our products and promotions.

Sincerely,

TW
Consumer Response Representative

Yoo-hoo Chocolate Drink

2009-02-07T00:54:00.011-05:00

Yoohoo Chocolate Drink has been under speculation for some time. I don't know what people think is in it that can make it haram.

After contacting Yoohoo, they confirmed that Yoohoo does not contain any animal ingredients, other than milk, and no alcohol either (This applies to ALL their Yoohoo varieties: Lite Chocolate, Chocolate, Strawberry, and Double Fudge)

I always have Yoohoo in the fridge <3>

E120 / Carmine dye

2009-02-02T23:55:00.013-05:00

E120 is a red food coloring which is derived from insects. This ingredient can be found in a lot of food. Recently, they've started using E120 in the gelatin-free Skittles produced in the UK, which has caused most Muslims up there to stop consuming them.

E120 is most common term for this substance used in ingredient labels, however they may also list it as carmine (dye) or cochineal.

Here is some information on E120:

"A deep crimson dye is extracted from the female cochineal insects. Cochineal is used to produce scarlet, orange and other red tints. The colouring comes from carminic acid. Cochineal extract's natural carminic-acid content is usually 19–22%.[5] The insects are killed by immersion in hot water (after which they are dried) or by exposure to sunlight, steam, or the heat of an oven. Each method produces a different colour which results in the varied appearance of commercial cochineal. The insects must be dried to about 30 percent of their original body weight before they can be stored without decaying.[10] It takes about 155,000 insects to make one kilogram of cochineal.

There are two principal forms of cochineal dye: cochineal extract is a colouring made from the raw dried and pulverised bodies of insects, and carmine is a more purified colouring made from the cochineal. To prepare carmine, the powdered insect bodies are boiled in ammonia or a sodium carbonate solution, the insoluble matter is removed by filtering, and alum is added to the clear salt solution of carminic acid to precipitate the red aluminium salt. Purity of colour is ensured by the absence of iron. Stannous chloride, citric acid, borax, or gelatin may be added to regulate the formation of the precipitate. For shades of purple, lime is added to the alum."

Now what is the Islamic view on E120?

Well from what can be found from within ahadeeth, locusts are the only permissible 'insect' that can be consumed, and is mentioned exactly by name.

Some scholars therefore deem ALL other insects as haram because they cannot be slaughtered in accordance to shari'ah, due to their small size and because they are 'bloodless' which means even if somehow slaughtered at the throat, the blood will not flow.

Imam Malik, rahiemahullah, has classed all other insects in the same category as locusts, making their form of slaughter by boiling, roasting, or piercing it with a stick/needle until it is dead, while saying the name of Allah over it.

Most people pose this question in regards to snails and their permissibility of consumption and this same information is brought up. However, shuyukh who present Imam Malik raheimahullah's argument also are sure to mention that the Prophet salAllahu alayhi wasallam never ate snail, therefore assuming, perhaps because they cannot be slaghtered and do not fall under the category of locusts. Also, the Imam is the only one to hold this viewpoint.

With that its really up to you to draw your own conclusion on eating foods with E120. And even if you follow Imam Malik's route with this one, it's most definite that they are not slaughtered in accordance to shari'ah (Allah's name being recited over it). On top of that, to me it doesn't really seem that a chemical process is taking place, since some people say that when a strong chemical process takes place the substance is an entirely different thing... all that's being done is that the color is being extracted from the insects. Allah knows best!!

Personally, whether it's halal or haram, the thought of those hundreds of thousands of insects being boiled... steamed... roasted... dunked in ammonia... is soooo disgusting!!!! So I will pass on E120... which would mean passing on red M&Ms as well... which is a easy can do in my book.

Usually I like posting pictures on my entries... but I guess considering the topic I'll pass so no one pukes on their computers and then blame me.

But in case you're interested, this is someones screen-shot of an article from when the FDA finally decided that ingredients labels should include E120 specifically rather than hiding it under "artifical flavors". There is an image of the insect in the article, which can be found here

Aquafresh Toothpaste

2009-02-01T21:58:00.011-05:00

I've been using this stuff exclusively for years...

Dear Lazeena,

We have received your e-mail and we are happy to respond to your question regarding Aquafresh® toothpaste.

Aquafresh® toothpaste products do not contain animal derivatives. The toothpaste does contain glycerin; however, the glycerin is derived from a vegetable source.

We're glad you took the time to contact us and hope this information is helpful.

Sincerely,

-----
GlaxoSmithKline Consumer
Healthcare

Pop Tarts!

2009-01-31T15:57:00.011-05:00

Kellogg's says:

Products containing beef gelatin include all varieties of Kellogg's® Frosted Pop-Tarts®

Though they said this, there were a handful of flavors I found that did not contain gelatin (at least on the package's ingredients list). However, this doesn't mean they are free of any animal products. These varieties include:

Kellogg's® Pop-Tarts® Apple Cinnamon toaster pastries

Kellogg's® Pop-Tarts® Blueberry toaster pastries

Kellogg's® Pop-Tarts® Brown Sugar Cinnamon toaster pastries

Kellogg's® Pop-Tarts® Strawberry toaster pastries

I must say, I thought they were only like 5 kinds of fruity flavored Pop Tart flavors but boy was I wrong. They have a whole bunch of exotic and non-breakfasty type flavors.. (note this image doesn't inclue all flavors... there are more!)

Pepperidge Farm 3-Layer Cakes

2009-01-29T23:54:00.007-05:00

I've seen these in the supermarket, but never checked the ingredients, picked them up, or tasted them.

I do not know if they all contain gelatin, or if only some of them do, but Pepperidge Farm said that the gelatin in these cakes are pork derived.

Sour Patch Kids & Swedish Fish

2009-01-28T00:10:00.008-05:00

Dear Lazeena:

Thank you for contacting us about Sour Patch Kids. Your comments and inquiries are appreciated because they provide valuable feedback about our brands.

Cadbury has been making great brands that people love for more than 200 years. We are proud of our family of confectionery products and are committed to providing a wide range of choices for all individuals.

There are no animal related ingredients or alcohol in our Sour Patch and Swedish Fish products.

Thank you for taking the time to contact us. We hope that you will continue to purchase and enjoy our products.

Sincerely,
Consumer Relations

Wise Popcorn

2009-01-26T01:19:00.008-05:00

All Wise's Popcorn flavored snacks are not halal, or Kosher even. There is some animal derivative in them. I don't know what exactly but if anyone is curious I can try and find out.

Their Popcorn snacks include:

Butter Flavored Popcorn

Reduced Fat Buttered Flavor Popcorn

Reduced Fat White Cheddar Cheese Popcorn

White Cheddar Cheese Popcorn

Hot Cheese Popcorn

Wise also stated that any of their products marked Kosher are free of any animal ingredients. Therefore, anything unmarked, is not kosher, and therefore not halal.

I always found their buttered popcorn to be too salty anyway. I was always a fan of White Cheddar popcorn, though I haven't had any in about 4 years.

Yoplait Yogurt

2009-01-23T11:13:00.006-05:00

Yoplait makes a lot of different yogurt types and flavors. The response I got confirmed that all their varieties contain beef gelatin in them. I don't know if this includes their other brands, such as GO-GURT and TRIX YOGURT, but if you see GELATIN on the ingredients labels of these products then it will be beef derived.

Dear Lazeena:

Thank you for contacting Yoplait with your inquiry.

All Yoplait varieties have gelatin which comes from beef and most contain a small amount of alcohol in the flavoring

We hope you find this information helpful.

Please let us know if
we can help you again.

Sincerely, K.R.
Consumer Services

Yoplait Varieties include:

Yoplait Original
Yoplait Light
Yoplait Whips
Yoplait Thick & Creamy
Yoplait Family Packs, Fridge Packs
Yo-Plus
Yoplait Kids
Gogurt, Trix, and Fizzix (check for Gelatin)

Rennet & Whey Explained, and Kraft cheese products

2009-01-19T16:07:00.014-05:00

I'm not a nutritionist or food expert, but for those of you who are unclear about what rennet and whey are, I'll put it in simple terms to inshaAllah be easily understood.

Rennet is a substance usually taken from baby calves to aid in the production of cheese. There are microbial substitutes that are sometimes used, but this is on a rare occasion and is usually specified on the foods packaging. Why is it taken from a baby calf's stomach? Because this is an enzyme found specifically in their stomachs to help them digest their mother's milk. The enzymes that make up rennet coagulates milk, causing it separate into curds and whey, to help form cheese.

So therefore, whey is the liquid leftover after milk has been curdled and strained. So if the whey was produced using an animal derived rennet, then the product containing whey is not permissible for consumption. This by-product is used in a lot of cheeses, cookies, crackers, breads and pastries. So you shouldn't only look for whey in cheese products!

Ok, so moving onto the Kraft cheeses. I did not even have to email the company about these questions because they were found on their FAQ page.

KRAFT SINGLES:

What is the enzyme derivative of KRAFT Singles?

The process of converting milk into cheese is dependent on coagulating through the use of an enzyme. The enzymes in this product are sourced from both microbial fermentations and animal sources. The animal sources are cow, sheep, and goat.

Well, sometimes they DO use microbial enzymes, which would make the cheese undeniablyhalal. However, because they bounce between microbial and animal enzymes, we never know which is being used at the time we pick up a pack of cheese, and also the equipment would be mixed without being cleaned as well. So we should avoid Kraft Singles inshaAllah, I believe they aren't even kosher either.

VELVEETA CHEESE:

Is VELVEETA Kosher?

Due to an ingredient in this product and/or the manufacturing process, VELVEETA Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product is not certified Kosher.

Again, this would be an animal derivative in used in Velveeta cheeses and are not halal.

KRAFT MACARONI AND CHEESE:

What enzyme derivative is present in KRAFT© Macaroni & Cheese?

....The enzymes used to make our cheese powder in packages of Kraft Macaroni & Cheese are derived from an animal source (calves and sheep).

And so again, this too contains animal derived enzymes.

Conclusion: Please be sure to check your food ingredients for RENNET, WHEY, and ENZYMES.

Pork in Ragu Pasta Sauces

2009-01-18T00:24:00.010-05:00

I always avoid any sauces with cheese in it, because most likely it would be parmesan cheese, which is usually haram. However, some people seem to be not so hardcore in that field.

Ragu responded to an email I sent them saying that most of the cheeses used in their sauces are pork derived cheeses! They said that if any of the sauces say CHEESE in the ingredients, then its best to assume there is pork in it. I guess it's also safe to say any of these sauces containing RENNET or WHEY would then most likely be pork derived.

Their webpage does not contain an ingredients list, otherwise I would have sifted through those and just listed which ones are specifically haram and which ones arent... but I guess that leaves us then with some investigation-type work to do when we're ready to pull some Ragu off the shelf at the market.

So remember - No Ragu with meat flavor (doi!), cheese, rennet, or whey inshaAllah.

Here is the email I received:

Hello Lazeena,

Thanks for writing!

Ragu Sauces do not contain animal or animal derived ingredients unless listed on label, e.g., cheese, cream, etc. The label may also specify that the product is flavored with "beef" or "meat" . The "Meat" is always beef. However, the cheese in products may be produced using ingredients derived from pork. As such, you must check each label. If the product contains cheese, then you must assume it contains a pork derivative.

We hope this information is helpful in assisting you to make the right decisions!

Kind regards,
Your friends at Ragu
RR

Pepperidge Farm Goldfish

2009-01-14T22:48:00.012-05:00

Here's an email I got from Pepperidge Farm regarding their Cheddar Cheese Goldfish snacks. I'm still waiting on a response regarding the other flavor fish shaped snacks they produce.

The source of cheese enzymes in our Cheddar Cheese Goldfish is beef

Short, not-so sweet, and to the point. I don't know what other proof people need. A lot of people don't believe me when I tell them they're animal by-products in the,. This is the 3rd email I've sent them in the past 5 years and it's always the same response.

Tootsie Rolls - Halal or Haram?

2009-01-07T22:29:00.015-05:00

Tootsie Rolls are a chocolate flavored, taffy-like American favorite enjoyed for decades. Recently, they've started making them in fruity flavors as well, such as cherry, lime, orange and a few more.

Some time ago it was known that these candies contained whey derived from animals and were NOT halal to eat. I myself just learned they were haram at some point, though I never ate them much.

However after contacting the company 3 times, they've confirmed that they've changed their recipe and that the only animal derived ingredient in Tootsie Rolls is MILK, which is of course perfectly fine for us to consume.

With that, inshaAllah we can continue to enjoy our Tootsie Rolls =)

Cabot Cheese

2009-01-03T00:46:00.007-05:00

As salaamu alaikum

As we know, it is very hard to find cheeses that are halal. Many of them contain whey and enzymes derived from animals.

A brand some of you may know about is Cabot. Their cheeses are halal, kosher, and approved by the Vegetarian Society alhamdulillah.

Their cheeses come in small, rectangular blocks and they carry a variety of flavors such as Cheddar, Chipotle Cheddar, Sun-Dried Tomato Basil Cheddar, Mild and Sharp Cheddars, Colby and Monterey Jack, among some other flavors and some sliced cheeses.

Their products can be found around the US. Take advantage of their Cabot Product Search to see if any local markets carry their cheeses. You can even order from online!

Here is the email sent to me by their Customer Satisfaction Rep.

Thank you for contacting Cabot and asking your fine question. Here at Cabot, everyone from the farm to the shipping docks feels a strong commitment to the quality standards of our award-winning products. We are always happy to provide our consumers with information that will help them to better understand... and enjoy...Cabot products.

Traditionally, the rennet used for making cheddar cheese was derived from the lining of calves' stomachs. Today, however, Cabot utilizes a microbial-based enzyme that mimics the rennet to manufacture ALL of its award-winning cheeses. The enzyme is added to the milk to coagulate it into curds and whey. Cabot's enzyme is approved by the Vegetarian Society and our Cabot cheeses are certified kosher and halal.

All Cabot Cheeses are animal by-products free, including Pig. Also, our cheeses are made without any animal rennet. During the cheese making process, the whey is drained from the curds and only the curds are used in producing the cheese. The only product that contains whey protein concentrate is our Cheddar Shake. The mono-diglycerides that are listed in our 75% Reduced Fat Cheddar is plant based.

Thank you again for contacting Cabot. Please feel free to contact us anytime with questions, comments, or concerns. We pledge to continue working diligently to ensure you receive natural, wholesome, satisfying products.

Haram Oreo products?

2008-12-23T01:59:00.012-05:00

As salaamu alaikum,

Of the Nabisco Oreo products, the following two contain animal derived ingredients is confirmed by the associate director of customer affairs of the company. Most likely it is the mono and diglycerides that are animal derived from these 2 products because after looking over the ingredients labels only these 2 products contain mono and diglycerides.

These 2 products are:

-Oreo Reduced Fat varieties

-Oreo Sugar Free varieties

So basically, eat the fatty oreos and you're good to go =)

Haram Wrigleys Products

2008-12-19T20:34:00.013-05:00

Here are the few Wrigley's products that are haram. They include pork derivatives, most likely gelatin.

-Extra Polar Ice
-Orbit Crystal Mint
-All Life Savers Gummies
-All Altoids Mints
-All Five Elixir gums

This information was given to me by a Wrigley's Customer Affairs rep via email.