What is halal candy?
Halal candy is candy that complies with Islamic laws. Halal stands for everything that is considered good and pure according to the Quran. This means there are certain restrictions regarding candy as well. Candy may be eaten and can even contain animal ingredients, provided that the meat used is halal. This means it must be bled meat slaughtered according to Islamic laws. Some animals are forbidden altogether, such as pigs, predators, rats, and frogs. According to the Quran, vegetables, fruit, food from the sea, and drinks are halal. However, alcohol is forbidden. Candy with gelatin is often made from the skins and bones of pigs and cattle and is not halal.
Traps in the search for halal candy
Those who want to enjoy halal candy would do well to choose gelatin-free candy. Certain colorings also require caution, although there is sometimes debate about whether they are halal or not. Carmine (E120), derived from a scale insect, is an example. Some schools of thought allow it because the Quran does not explicitly forbid eating insects (mainly locusts). Other schools consider it haram because the insects must be killed to make them suitable for human consumption. In the case of carmine, the insect is killed to make a coloring used in various products, not to make it suitable for eating. Nowadays, it is increasingly accepted that carmine is haram. Those who want to be sure should avoid candy with E120. A similar trap is shellac (E904). It is basically a product from a secretion of lice, but sometimes (parts of) the lice are present in the lacquer. This is also increasingly considered haram.
Why halal candy?
Gelatin is a binding agent derived from meat, often from pigs or cattle. Since pigs are not eaten by Muslims, this means much candy is ‘haram’ and therefore not allowed to be eaten. Cattle gelatin is not necessarily halal either. In this case, the animal must also be slaughtered halal. E numbers are additives approved by the EU for foodstuffs. These ingredients are often not clearly explained on the labels of candy and other treats.