Who doesn’t love cheese? In fact, most of us like our food to be extra cheesy. There are various kinds of cheese, but the fruity and nutty flavor of parmesan cheese makes it a favorite of many. Many enjoy it with pasta, soups, etc. Its rich, nutty flavor enhances the taste of pasta, making it pleasurable. However, for practicing Muslims, consuming parmesan cheese is a mystery. They always have this question in mind: is parmesan cheese halal? Let’s find out if parmesan cheese is halal.
Parmesan Cheese
Parmesan cheese is used as a complementary topping over many food items. Everyone dies to enjoy the pleasurably salty flavour of this cheese. Those who follow Islamic dietary guidelines hesitate to eat parmesan cheese. This is because they are unaware of its ingredients and manufacturing process. They always try to determine the halal status of the food they eat. The same goes for parmesan cheese.
So, parmesan cheese has an Italian origin. This is why it mostly goes over Italian cuisines. These include pasta, pizza, salads, and soups. It tastes different from other cheeses. To understand if Parmesan cheese is halal, have a look at its ingredients. Also, see what does halal mean for better understanding.
Parmesan Cheese Ingredients
To decide is parmesan cheese halal, it’s important to know its ingredients. Traditionally, it is made with cow’s milk, salt, and rennet. Rennet is an enzyme that helps in the manufacturing process. It can be from an animal source, microbes, or vegetable-based. However, many manufacturers add different ingredients to make parmesan cheese variants.
Flour
It is added to make the dough of parmesan cheese. The flour is mixed with oil and yeast to make the cheese. To make halal parmesan cheese corn flour is added.
Lard and Butter
Lard holds all the ingredients together. Some people also use butter for this purpose. But lard has better holding capacity. Lard is extracted from pig fat. As pig’s meat is haram for Muslims, anything taken from a pig is also haram. To keep parmesan cheese, halal butter is added to the palace of lard. If you have no idea about halal and haram meat, you can read our dedicated guide on what is halal meat.
Milk
Cow’s milk is the main ingredient of the parmesan cheese. For better taste, fresh milk is used.
Yeast
To ferment cheese from cow’s milk, yeast is used. To keep it halal, baker’s yeast is added instead of brewer’s yeast. Brewer’s yeast is a by-product of alcohol. This is why even some non-Muslim countries avoid adding brewer’s yeast while making parmesan cheese.
Vegetable Oil
To give the texture and colour to the cheese, vegetable oil is added. Most manufacturers prefer olive oil and sunflower oil. Apart from texture, it has nutritional value too.
Rennet
Rennet is an animal enzyme that separates cheese from liquid. It has always been a major concern for Islamic scholars. It can be taken from any animal. So, while making halal parmesan cheese, make sure it is taken from the halal animal.
Unsalted Butter
Many manufacturers add unsalted butter to make parmesan cheese. It gives a creamy consistency and texture to the cheese. Also, gives a unique sweet cream flavor to the dishes. For halal parmesan cheese, unsalted butter should be made with lactic acid.
Whey
Whey is the main component of the fermentation process. It kickstarts the process and has nutritional value too. While making halal parmesan, make sure you are using halal meat as a whey source. Whey extracted from pork or any other haram meat makes parmesan cheese haram for Muslims.
White Wine
This is another ingredient that raises the question: parmesan cheese is it halal? Everyone knows Muslims are not allowed to consume wine. It is strictly prohibited for Muslims. It adds a unique flavor to the parmesan, but still, it’s haram. However, not all parmesan cheese has white wine. Only special kinds of parmesan cheese have white wine in it. But to be safe, ensure your parmesan cheese has no white wine.
What Makes Parmesan Cheese Haram?
Ingredients of anything make it halal or haram. So, for halal parmesan cheese, make sure all the ingredients are halal. Here’s a short list of ingredients that you should check to make sure whether the parmesan cheese is halal or not.
Animal Rennet
Most manufacturers use animal rennet from haram animals. If your parmesan cheese has been returned from a non-halal source, the food is haram for you. Before buying or consuming parmesan cheese, check the rennet source. Halal parmesan usually contains vegetable or microbial rennet. It is 100% halal and safe to consume.
Cross-Contamination
Cross-contamination is another major concern. If halal and non-halal products are processed in the same way, the chances of halal products containing a minute proportion of haram ingredients are high. This is why it is advised you should look for manufacturers who follow halal standards strictly.
Halal Parmesan Cheese Brands
Finding halal parmesan cheese brands is no less than a challenge. But don’t worry, we are here for you. Parmigiano Reggiano Halal and Miller’s parmesan cheese are purely halal. They add no haram additives or ingredients. All the ingredients are from halal sources, making their cheese halal for Muslims. They are also certified by Kosher. Kosher’s certification is awarded to those who strictly follow Islamic Shariah and teachings while preparing food. There are some brands that you should avoid as a Muslim. Their parmesan cheese is not halal. Here is a list of these brands.
- Kraft Parmesan Cheese
- Polly-O Parmesan Cheese
- Sargento Parmesan Cheese
- Great Value Parmesan Cheese
- Mame Parmesan Cheese
Conclusion
The dietary status of parmesan cheese is hidden in its ingredients. By knowing the ingredients, anyone can judge if the parmesan cheese is halal or not. From ingredients to its production method, everything should be according to halal standards. Indeed, many parmesan cheeses are not halal for Muslims. But some brands make halal parmesan cheese. Parmesan cheese itself is neither halal nor haram. It is the ingredients that make it halal and haram. Any parmesan cheese with a haram ingredient is not halal. Simply put, parmesan cheese halal status is the game of ingredients. If all of its ingredients are halal, parmesan cheese is halal.
FAQs
Is there halal Parmesan cheese?
Yes, there are halal parmesan cheese brands. These include Parmigiano Reggiano Halal and Miller’s. They strictly follow halal standards while preparing parmesan cheese. From ingredients to production methods, everything is according to Islamic teachings.
What kind of cheese is halal?
All cheese is halal if the ingredients are halal. It should contain no animal rennet, brewer’s yeast, or white wine. These ingredients make any cheese haram for Muslims.
Does all Parmesan have pork?
No, not all parmesan cheese has pork. Rennet is the main ingredient that makes parmesan haram. If it’s from a haram animal, the parmesan cheese will be haram for you. For Muslims, it is necessary to get parmesan cheese with halal rennet. Halal rennet can be extracted from vegetables or microbes.