Is Cream Cheese Halal?

Last Updated on March 22, 2024 by Aaron

When it comes to food, there are a lot of questions about what is and isn’t halal.

This is especially true for dairy products, as different ingredients can make them either halal or haram.

In this blog post, we will explore the question of whether cream cheese is halal or not.

We will also take a look at some of the most popular brands of cream cheese and see if any of them are certified as halal.

Stay tuned for more information!

So, Is Cream Cheese Halal?

This question can be difficult to answer, as different ingredients can make a product halal or haram.

In the case of cream cheese, there are a few things to consider. First, there is mostly no rennet in the manufacturing of cream cheese. As rennet is one of the haram ingredients in cheese.

For example, the Philadelphia cream cheese is made of cream, milk, salt, carob bean gum (stabilizer), and cheese culture. There is usually no rennet used in the manufacturing of cream cheese in the US, however, some may also use acids or enzymes.

This brings us to the second factor, the enzyme.

Some of the enzymes are derived from animal sources, such as pepsin, lipase, and chymosin. But most of the commercials are from microbial sources. A good example is Fermentation-produced Chymosin by fungus.

Enzymes derived from microorganisms during fermentation are considered halal (1).

That being said, some cream cheese brands may not follow the halal guidelines.

Below is a list of some of the popular brands that have been listed as halal-certified according to HalalHaram.org, a non-profit organization by the Center for American Muslim Research and Information (CAMRI) based in New York.

  • Philadelphia Cream Cheese – Original, Neuchatel, Chive and Onions, Herb and Garlic, Pineapple, Smoked Salmon, Whipped Cream Cheese
  • Happy Farms – Cream Cheese, Cream Cheese Whipped
  • Great Value – Original, Light Cream Cheese, Honey & Nuts, Neuchatel, Whipped, Fat-free
  • Kroger – Cream Cheese Soft, Whipped, Fat-free
  • Green Mountain Farms – Fat-free Cream Cheese
  • Meijer – Soft Light, Soft, Whipped, Fat-free
  • Wegmans – Original, Soft, Soft Light, Strawberry
  • Hy-Vee – Original, Soft, Whipped, Fat-free

We hope this article provides some clarity on the matter. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us!

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