Is Mozzarella Cheese Halal?
Everyone is familiar with mozzarella cheese. It’s a common ingredient in lasagna, pizza, and other Italian dishes. Muslims adore cheese and frequently integrate it into their diets, thus the cheese must be halal. Which mozzarella cheese is halal? Let’s find out.
It depends on the rennet used whether mozzarella cheese is halal or haram. Since rennet is typically made from animals, the cheese won’t be halal if the animals aren’t. If vegetarian rennet is utilized, mozzarella cheese will be halal.
What Makes Mozzarella Cheese Halal?
This is crucial since the ingredients in mozzarella cheese determine whether it is halal or haram. The main factor in deciding whether cheese is halal or not is the rennet added during the manufacture of mozzarella cheese.
There are four sources of rennet that can be added to the cheese. It can come from sources like microbial, plants, animals, or genetically modified sources.
Rennet From Animals
The most common form of rennet is derived from animals. Rennet can be obtained from animals like pigs, sheep, or cows. It goes without saying that if the rennet is to be regarded as halal, the animal must be slaughtered.
Pig is always haram for Muslims, so rennet made from pigs is not a choice. If the rennet is made from an animal other than a pig, you must ensure that the animal was slaughtered in accordance with Islamic law.
Shaikh commented on animal rennet:
“If the rennet is taken from an animal that has been slaughtered according to Shari`ah, then it is pure and can be eaten. If the rennet is taken from an animal that dies naturally, or that was not slaughtered in accordance with Shari`ah, it is impure and should not be eaten.”
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Rennet From Plants
It is possible to use certain plants to coagulate milk. The best rennet is made from plants because it is always halal for Muslims. Therefore, mozzarella cheese will be halal if plant-derived rennet is utilized.
Rennet From Microbes
Microbial rennet is derived from fungi. It is also a good alternative to the animal rennet which is always a doubt.
Rennet From Genetically Modified Sources
Genetically modified sources involve animals. Again if this rennet is used you have to make sure that the animal was properly slaughtered. If the animal is halal genetically modified rennet will also be halal.
READ NEXT: Is Tyson Chicken Halal?
Is Mozzarella Cheese Halal In the USA?
Mozzarella cheese found in America usually won’t be halal as mostly rennet here is derived from animals. The animal mostly are pigs. If in certain cases the animal used to derive the rennet was not a pig even then rennet won’t be halal as it won’t have been slaughtered.
You need to make sure that the animal was halal in order for the cheese to be halal and it’s a hard task considering most animals are not slaughtered. My suggestion would be to go for plant-based rennet if you can find one.
Tips To Find Halal Mozzarella Cheese
If you really want to find halal mozzarella cheese you need to focus on the rennet.
- Your best bet is to go with the plant-derived rennet. It is always halal as no animals are involved which can create doubts.
- Secondly, you can always find Kosher products if halal ones are not available. Kosher products are halal for Muslims.
- Finally, you can follow my list of halal mozzarella cheese brands.
READ NEXT: Is Vanilla Extract Halal?
List Of Halal Mozzarella Brands
I have found all the halal Mozzarella cheese brands for you:
- Tillamook Mozzarella Cheese
- Organic Valley
- Sorrento Low Moisture Part Skim Mozzarella Cheese
- 365 by Whole Foods Market
- Costco Mozzarella Cheese
- Rumiano
- Kraft String Mozzarella Cheese
- Buf creame
- Calabro
- Belgioioso
- El Mexicano
FAQs
Which cheese is halal in Islam?
All vegetarian cheese is halal as no animals are involved in the making of rennet. Rennet is usually the main ingredient that creates doubt. Use cheese that is plant-derived if you are a halal freak.
Is pizza mozzarella halal?
It all comes down to the rennet used to make the cheese in the pizza. If the rennet is plant-derived or from a halal animal the rennet will be halal making the pizza halal. If the animal used is haram the cheese will be haram and eventually the pizza will be too.
Is Polly O Mozzarella Cheese Halal?
The rennet used is from animals. I have to assume that animals were not slaughtered making them haram. Hence Polly O Mozzarella Cheese is haram.
Is all mozzarella kosher?
No, not all mozzarella cheese is not Kosher. You will have to find specific Kosher-certified cheese.
READ NEXT: Is Nutella Halal?
Final Thoughts
Mozzarella Cheese will usually be haram for Muslims who are living in America and any other non-Muslim country. Mostly the rennet used in making the cheese comes from animals that are usually not halal. You should choose rennet derived from plants. Mozzarella cheese will be halal if plant-derived rennet is used.
I have also given a list of all the halal mozzarella cheese brands. You can safely choose one and be sure it’s halal.
And Allah Knows Best.
