The word Halal is a Arabic word. It means lawful or legal. The source of Halal ingredients are vegetable, plant, fish, meat, fat or gelatin from a halal animal which means that an animal that was slaughtered according to Sharia rules.
1. The word " Vegetable" is mentioned before fat based ingredients statement of a food product; for example vegetable Mono and Diglyceride.
2. If a Halal symbol such as "H" or "M" in a triangle or Kosher symbols such as
U, UD, V, CRC, KMH, COR, K or KD appear on a package (without wine,
alcohol, all types of gelatin and L_Cysteine from human hair), it means
that the fat based ingredient is obtained from vegetable fat.
3. Inquiry with the food manufacturer is another way of identifying
them. The purpose is to verify that the ingredients are Halal or Kosher
certified and also to inquire about any haram processing aid ingredients which are not mentioned in the ingredients list. Sometimes a manufacturer may use Halal or Kosher certified ingredients without the finished product being Halal or Kosher certified. Breads and buns are the best example. Some companies manufacture Halal or Kosher products but prefer not to have it certified Halal or Kosher because it can be very costly.
Haram is opposite of Halal and it means unlawful. Muslims are prohibited to consume food products made from Haram ingredients. The base being Quran & Sunnah.
* Haram ingredients from alcohol beverages: Beer, Beer flavor, Rum
Flavor, Hard Cider, Beer Batter, Soy Sauce (Naturally brewed), Teriyaki Sauce (contains wine) and Wine
* Pure Alcohol as a Natural Flavor, Vanilla Extract containing alcohol.
* Haram ingredients from Human body: L_Cysteine from human hair.
* Haram ingredients from Pig: Bacon, Ham, Gelatin, Enzymes, Marshmallow (made with pig gelatin), Vitamins.
* Grain/plant based ingredients with pig based carrier: Beta carotene (pig Gelatin) and BHA/BHT (pig based carrier).
* Dairy ingredients made from pork enzymes and culture media: Caseinates, Lactose, Whey.
* Ingredients made from pork fat: Lard, Mono & diglycerides, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, DATEM, Polysorbate 60 or 80.
Mushbooh is an Arabic word for doubtful things. Muslims are required
to stay away from doubtful things. Food products and food ingredients
whose sources are not known whether they are made from Halal or Haram
source fall under this category.
* Yeast Extract from brewer's yeast (some Islamic scholars consider it Halal but to some others think it is a Mushbooh ingredient).
* Cochineal/Carmine color (Islamic scholars in UK and South Africa considers it Haram)