Last Updated on December 10, 2022 by Aaron
For cheddar to be Halal-compliant, it must be made from foods that are permissible according to Islamic law. That said, we’ll need to look at one important ingredient — rennet.
So, is cheddar in the supermarket halal? The answer is no – some cheddar contains animal rennet, which is not halal, particularly the traditional varieties of cheddar cheese. But the commercial cheddars in the supermarket mainly use enzymes, microbial, or even vegetable rennet — which most people would accept to be halal by default especially when the cheddar labels “suitable for vegetarian” like shown in the image above.
Although not literally exact, the best way is to always look for a halal-certified logo. Below we will look at some popular cheddar brands and whether they are halal or not.
Which Cheddar Cheese is Halal?
Cabot and Tillamook Cheddar are both halal. Cabot on their website stated that their cheddar cheeses are halal-certified by a supervising Islamic administrator and also the Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America and by Tablet K.
Likewise for Tillamook, where their Medium Cheddar cheese is halal-certified. And is also vegetarian-friendly.
Other popular brands such as Kraft, Land O’ Lakes, and Kerrygold cheddars are not halal-certified in the United States. But they might have certified versions in other countries, such as the Kraft Cheddar in Malaysia has a halal logo.
For cheddar snacks like Cheddar Jalapeno Cheetos. It’s also not halal-certified in the United States — without the halal icon. However, if it’s made with halal cheddar, then yes and you will see a little symbol at the right bottom, something like:
So there you have it!
Be sure to check the label or website before purchasing to make sure it is halal-certified. And if you’re ever unsure, there are plenty of other cheeses out there that are halal and just as delicious.
Some cream cheeses are halal as well!
Do you know any halal cheddar? let people know in the comment section below:
