List Of The Best Halal And Haram Cheeses – Full Information In 2023

Reviewed by: Shakira Ahmed
Fact Checked by: Shahina Islam

Halal And Haram Cheeses have been a part of human diets for thousands of years, and here is a list of halal And haram cheeses with their varieties. 

Whether it’s the creamy texture of Brie, the sharpness of Cheddar, or the salty tang of Feta, there is something for everyone. Halal And Haram Cheeses But for many people who follow the Islamic faith, knowing which cheeses are halal can be confusing. 

List Of Halal And Haram Cheeses

Sr. No	Halal-Cheese with no animal by-products	Animal-derived ingredients Cheese
1.	Mozzarella	Halloumi
2.	Ricotta Cheese	Paneer
3.	Cottage Cheese	Manchego
4.	Parmesan Cheese	Brie cheese
5.	Cream Cheese	Blue cheese
6.	Swiss Cheese	Roquefort cheese
7.	Feta Cheese	Gorgonzola cheese
8.	Havarti Cheese	Cheddar cheese
9.	Gouda Cheese	–

Haram cheeses contain either animal rennet, microbial rennet, or lipase. Animal rennet is a coagulant made from the stomach lining of an animal, typically a calf or lamb.

Halal And Haram Cheeses are those that are made with specific ingredients which are allowable within Islamic dietary laws. Generally speaking, this means that they must not contain any animal ingredients that were not slaughtered according to Islamic slaughter practices (Dhabiha).

Rennet from an animal source (other than vegetarian rennet), gelatin from pigs or cows, enzymes from Haram animals such as lard or pork fat, and whey powder produced from whey derived from cow milk are the typical Haram ingredients of cheese. 

List Of Kraft Cheese With No Animal Products

Kraft Cheese has both halal and Haram options available in its range. Those without any animal products are considered to be permissible within Islamic law since they don’t derive any of their flavorings directly from animals.

However, Kraft does produce some varieties with animal ingredients such as lard, pork fat, and rennet which would need to be avoided by people following a halal diet due to having been derived from non-Dhabiha animals.  

Here is our top pick of non-animal-based kraft cheese:

• Kraft Natural Mozzarella cheese
• Kraft Natural Swiss cheese
• Kraft Natural Cheddar cheese
• Kraft Parmesan cheese
• Kraft Philadelphia Cream cheese
• Kraft Singles American cheese slices.

By being aware of the ingredients in cheese, it’s possible to make an informed decision about whether cheese is halal.

List Of Kraft Cheese Containing Animal Products That Arent Possibly Slaughtered In Islamic Accordance.

Although some varieties of Kraft cheese mentioned above don’t contain any animal ingredients or derivatives at all it is important to note that some others do contain these materials but may not have been produced under conditions permissible under Islamic law due to improper slaughtering procedures.

• Sharp Cheddar Natural Sliced Processed Cheese Product (packaged version)
• Natural Swiss Sliced Processed Cheese product (cubed version)
• Pasteurized Process Swiss Sliced Processed Cheese Product (individually wrapped version)
• Halloumi Cheese
• Brie Cheese
• Blue Cheese
• Roquefort Cheese
• Gorgonzola Cheese
• Manchego Cheese.

Halal And Haram Cheeses As such it is important when selecting any type of processed foods including cheeses containing dairy products sourced from animals such as cows to always ensure they have been produced under conditions acceptable under the dictates laid out by Islam teachings if following a Halal diet is important for you. 

What Type Of Cheese Are Not Halal?

Halal And Haram Cheeses that is not halal would contain animal-derived ingredients and animal by-products that are not permissible under Islamic dietary laws. 

This includes cheese made with rennet from Haram animals, cheese containing pork fat or lard, cheese with whey powder derived from Haram sources such as cow milk, cheese made with gelatin, cheese with microbial rennet, and cheese containing animal enzymes.

Is American Cheese Halal Or Haram?

Halal And Haram Cheeses When it comes to whether American cheese is classified as either halal or Haram, this depends on its ingredients since some brands may contain animal enzymes which would make them unsuitable for Muslims following Islamic dietary guidelines.

Kraft cheese singles, for example, are made with microbial rennet and no animal-derived ingredients which makes them halal-suitable.

However, other cheese slices and cheese products from different brands may contain animal enzymes or Haram sources such as pork fat and lard making them Haram.

List Of Ingredients In American Cheese To Check For Halal Status

Halal And Haram Cheeses When looking to determine the halal status of cheese, it is important to check its ingredient list. Here are some key ingredients to look out for when deciding if American cheese is halal or Haram:

• Gelatin – Made from animal collagen and used as a setting agent, gelatin derived from a Haram source like pork is not suitable for consumption.
• Lard – animal fat from pigs, lard is a Haram ingredient and should be avoided by Muslims.
• Microbial rennet – Cheese made with microbial rennet derived from bacteria or yeast cultures would be halal-suitable as they don’t contain any animal ingredients.
• Animal enzymes – Cheese containing animal enzymes derived from Haram sources such as cows should be avoided.
• Whey powder – Cheese containing whey powder that is sourced from animals other than goats and sheep would not be halal-suitable as they are considered Haram.

By checking the cheese’s ingredients list, it should be possible to determine whether American cheese is halal or not.

Read Also:

Are Doritos Halal or Haram? Complete Guide 2023

Is Boba Halal Or Haram? Whole Guide For You In 2023

Are Smarties Halal Or Haram? 

What Hadiths Explain Teachings On Eating Cheese?

The Islamic faith places a huge emphasis on cleanliness and proper slaughtering methods when it comes to consuming food.

There are various hadiths (the interpretations of Prophet Muhammad’s teachings) that explain the guidelines for eating cheese.

“If cheese is made from milk which was taken under lawful circumstances, cheese is lawful to eat”.

One such hadith states:

This hadith explains that cheese is permissible to consume if it has been produced with milk taken in a halal manner such as from free-range animals that have been slaughtered properly according to Islamic laws.

“Cheese made of the milk of an animal whose meat is lawful to eat is also lawful”.

Another hadith states:

Halal And Haram Cheeses This hadith emphasizes that cheese made with milk from halal animals such as goats, sheep, and cows is considered halal-suitable for consumption.

Shafi and Maliki explained their point of view as:

The Maliki reference, Manh al-Jaleel, says that: “Imam Malik disliked cheese because it was made by rennet of animals that are not slaughtered according to the Islamic Law (match).”

In Sharh al-Bahja, a Shafi’i reference, it states that “cheese is allowed as long as the rennet is obtained from a properly slaughtered halal animal that is only feeding on milk, otherwise the contents of its stomach are najis (impure).”

It is important to remember that cheese sourced from Haram animals including pigs and horses should be avoided by Muslims following Islamic dietary guidelines.

Shaykh Muhammad Saalih al-Munajjid also added:

Halal And Haram Cheeses The Islamic ruling concerning rennet is that if it is taken from an animal that has been slaughtered according to shari’ah, then it is pure (Tahir) and can be eaten. This is according to the Hanafis, Maalikis, Shaafa’is, and Hanbalis.

As regards eating rennet taken from an animal that dies naturally, or that was not slaughtered by the shari’ah, according to the apparent meaning of the opinions reported by the majority of scholars among the Maalikis, Shaafa’is, and Hanbalis have said, it is impure (najis) and should not be eaten.

They base this ruling on the ayah (interpretation of the meaning): “Forbidden to you for food) are al-metatag (dead animals – cattle-beast not slaughtered)” [al-Maa; Dinah 5:3] – the rennet becomes impure by the animal’s death, and it is not possible to remove that impurity from it. 

Now we can conclude that cheese should be consumed only when it is derived from halal animals and the cheese itself must not contain any Haram ingredients. In addition, cheese should also not contain microbial rennet or animal enzymes if they have been sourced from a Haram source.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

We hope that the provided list of halal And haram cheeses was useful in helping you identify cheese that is suitable for your dietary requirements. Remember to always check the cheese’s ingredients list and source of product before purchasing or consuming it.