HALAL
The word Halal is a Arabic word. It means lawful or legal. The source of Halal ingredients are vegetable, plant, fish, meat, fat or gelatin from a halal animal which means that an animal that was slaughtered according to Sharia rules.
    1. The word " Vegetable" is mentioned before fat based ingredients statement                 of a food product; for example vegetable Mono and Diglyceride.
    2. If a Halal symbol such as "H" or "M" in a triangle or Kosher symbols such as
        U, UD, V, CRC, KMH, COR, K or KD appear on a package (without wine,
        alcohol, all types of gelatin and L_Cysteine from human hair), it means
        that the fat based ingredient is obtained from vegetable fat.
    3. Inquiry with the food manufacturer is another way of identifying
        them. The purpose is to verify that the ingredients are Halal or Kosher
        certified and also to inquire about any haram processing aid ingredients which             are not mentioned in the ingredients list. Sometimes a manufacturer may use             Halal or Kosher certified ingredients without the finished product being Halal or         Kosher certified. Breads and buns are the best example. Some companies                 manufacture Halal or Kosher products but prefer not to have it certified Halal or         Kosher because it can be very costly.

HARAM
Haram is opposite of Halal and it means unlawful.  Muslims are prohibited to consume food products made from Haram ingredients. The base being Quran  & Sunnah.
    * Haram ingredients from alcohol beverages: Beer, Beer flavor, Rum
       Flavor, Hard Cider, Beer Batter, Soy Sauce (Naturally brewed), Teriyaki Sauce            (contains wine) and  Wine
    * Pure Alcohol as a Natural Flavor, Vanilla Extract containing alcohol.
    * Haram ingredients from Human body: L_Cysteine from human hair.
    * Haram ingredients from Pig: Bacon, Ham, Gelatin, Enzymes, Marshmallow (made        with pig gelatin), Vitamins.
    * Grain/plant based ingredients with pig based carrier: Beta carotene (pig Gelatin)          and BHA/BHT (pig based carrier).
    * Dairy ingredients made from pork enzymes and culture media: Caseinates,                Lactose, Whey.
    * Ingredients made from pork fat: Lard, Mono & diglycerides, Sodium Stearoyl                Lactylate, DATEM, Polysorbate 60 or 80.

MUSHBOOH
Mushbooh is an Arabic word for doubtful things. Muslims are required
to stay away from doubtful things. Food products and food ingredients
whose sources are not known whether they are made from Halal or Haram
source fall under this category.
    * Yeast Extract from brewer's yeast (some Islamic scholars consider it Halal but to some others think it is a Mushbooh ingredient).
    * Cochineal/Carmine color (Islamic scholars in UK and South Africa considers it Haram)

WHAT MAKE SOY SAUCE HARAM?
Naturally Brewed Soy sauce is Haram because it is made just
like wine which means that after it is brewed it produces 2-3% alcohol. The ingredients list contains Wheat, Soy and other ingredients. Food companies do not mention Naturally Brewed Soy Sauce under the ingredients statement. They just mention soy sauce but within parenthesis they may say Wheat and Soy. This is the only way to find a Haram Soy Sauce.

WHAT MAKES SOY SAUCE HALAL?
All purpose soy sauce or non naturally brewed soy sauce is the Halal soy sauce. It is made from water, salt, hydrolyzed soy protein, corn syrup and sodium benzoate.


Approval and clarification granted by:  MCG

Look out for more helpful information to help you make halal choices and eat healthy.
Coming:  Alcohol in our foods explained

KOSHER GELATIN
There is a big confusion about Kosher Gelatin which is now used very
extensively in yogurts, Sour Cream, Cottage cheese and Ice Cream.
There are four type of kosher gelatin in the food products but none
of them meet the Islamic dietary requirements and they are not  considered Halal.
Different kosher certifying organizations have different beliefs. For example kosher organization with symbols:
    1. OU, CRC, V, Kuf K do not consider pork gelatin as a kosher gelatin.
    2. K, KO accept pork gelatin as a kosher product.
GELATIN
Gelatin is a derived water soluble protein made by controlled
hydrolytic conversion of collagen, the protein constituent of white
fibrous connective tissue from animals.

Gelatin is obtained from one of the following:

    * Beef bones and calf skin (Gelatin type B) or
    * Skin, hide splits and trimming of pork (Gelatin type A)

SOME GELATIN PRODUCTS:
    * Gelatin in Jell-o Gelatin products is made from pork and
considered kosher by a Rabbi who certify these products with a kosher
symbol K. These products are Haram (NOT HALAL).
    * Kosher gelatin is also obtained from  non-kosher slaughtered
cattle bones and skin in China, which is certified by a Rabbi in
Florida. This gelatin is used in majority of Dannon Yogurts with the
    * exception of  Dannon's Premium Low Fat Plain, Premium Non Fat Plain and Natural Plain with UD kosher symbol, they  do not contain any gelatin and considered as Halal
yogurts).
    * Kosher gelatin is also made from pork source and listed as
kosher gelatin in some products with kosher symbol KO. These products
are Haram (NOT HALAL).
    * The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregation of America certifies a Kosher gelatin, which is made from cattle. These cattle are slaughtered according Jewish laws a Rabbi. This kosher gelatin is used in Entenmann's Frosted Toaster Pastries with kosher symbol UD. Many Islamic Scholars do not accept kosher meat as the meat of Ahle-Kitab
because a Rabbi do not announce the name of Allah and other
prayers on each animals. He announces the name of Allah on first and
last animal.

FISH GELATIN
Only fish gelatin and gelatin made from the bones and skins of Halal
animals slaughtered according to Islamic Sharia is considered Halal.

Gelatin is also obtained from fish. The fish gelatin is now used in many food products.

Fish gelatin is used in Procter &Gamble's Sunny Delight fruit drinks. It is combined with Beta carotene a plant based color as a processing
aid ingredient (not reported under the ingredients list) to help
disperse the Beta carotene in liquid system. Gelatin from zabiha slaughtered cows is considered Halal.

Halal gelatin from cow is now manufactured in India, Pakistan and Malaysia.