What is Halal Bakery Product

Flour enrichment: The enrichment must come from halal sources, either plant- or chemical-based.

Flours and cereal ingredients must undergo non alcohol treatment during processing. For example, some soy products, such as soy protein isolate, use alcohol treatment during processing. Defatted soy flour made after hexane extraction is acceptable.

Emulsifiers/dough conditioners: Emulsifiers and conditioners should be obtained from Halal vegetable fat.

L-Cysteine: L-Cysteine is a non-essential amino acid used as a reducing agent in bakery products such as hard rolls, doughnut, pizza crusts, loaf,pastries, bagels and croissants to reduce te process of mixing . It also prevents shrinkage of pizza crusts made with high protein flour and helps in the machinability of dough. L-Cysteine obtained from human hair is not considered a halal ingredient. Some halal officially recognised organizations accept L-Cysteine from animals feather, eg duck or chicken feathers. Synthetic L-Cysteine from petroleum is acceptable.

Dairy ingredients used in bakery products (i.e., whey, lactose, caseinates and unsalted butter): These require halal certification, whereas non-fat dry milk is acceptable as a halal ingredient (as long as dryers are not used for haram ingredients).

Bakery's Yeast : Bakery's Yeast is considered halal.

Brewer Yeast's : Brewer Yeast's extract in bakery snacks: Most Muslim consumers avoid food products made from brewer's yeast extract since it is a by-product of beer. Alcoholic beverages are prohibited in halal officially recognised organizations-certified food products.

Natural and artificial flavors: Natural and artificial flavors in bakery products are the most important ingredients for halal manufacturer products. The makeup of flavoring material must be plant-based (no meat). Petroleum-based propylene glycol is considered a halal solvent for flavoring.

Ethyl alcohol is not an acceptable halal solvent. The argument, however, is that it is evaporated during baking. Most Halal officially recognised organizations will not accept this argument, since the alcohol was originally present as a raw material in the first stage of production. Alcohol, even a small amount, produced naturally, is acceptable--such as in over ripened fruits and during yeast fermentation of dough for bread baking.

Vinegar: Only distilled vinegar is acceptable, due to the presence of a very minimal amount of diluted alcohol leftover in the vinegar. Not all alcohol is converted to acetic acid and water. Wine and balsamic vinegars are considered haram ingredients.

Shortening: Only vegetable oil, vegetable shortening, or vegetable shortening with vegetable fat based emulsifiers is acceptable as halal.

Vanilla extract and Vanilla sugar: Vanilla extract in cookie products or in ice cream is not acceptable as a halal ingredient because it contains 35% or more alcohol. Vanilla sugar made with sugar and vanilla extract also is not acceptable as halal, for the same reason.

BHT and BRA: They are acceptable as halal ingredients only if the carrier is a vegetable oil.

Beta carotene: Several processing aid ingredients are used in beta carotene color. Only fish gelatin or vegetable oil is acceptable as a carrier, or as a processing aid ingredient.

FD&C colors: FD&C colors without any carriers are acceptable as halal colors. The problem arises when glycerin is used as a solvent in liquid FD&C colors. Only plant-based glycerin or vegetable oil is allowed in the Halal officially recognised organizations certification of halal liquid FD&C colors.

Gelatin: Unknown Gelatin or Kosher gelatin in toaster pastries or in cookies is not acceptable. Fish gelatin or gelatin obtained from cows slaughtered according to Islamic law is fine.

Cereal products: The vitamins, gelatin in marshmallows, dairy ingredients, flavors and colors in cereal products are ingredients to consider in developing a cereal product for halal markets. The source of the above ingredients must be from a halal source.

Dairy products: This is the most important category of food ingredients because it is used in many different Halal food products.