Is Mozzarella Cheese Halal Or Haram? (All Brands)

Mozzarella cheese is a popular cheese used in many dishes around the world. But is Mozzarella cheese Halal?

This is a common question asked by Muslims since Halal is a key part of the Islamic dietary laws.

Also, different brands produce mozzarella cheese, so it can be hard to determine which ones are Halal or haram.

In this article, we will answer is Mozzarella cheese halal or haram in the USA, UK, Canada, and all other countries. We’ll also share a list of Mozzarella cheese producing brands that are Halal-certified, so you can make an informed decision.

Is Mozzarella Cheese Halal

The answer to this question depends on the source of the ingredients used to make the mozzarella cheese, especially the rennet.

There are different brands producing mozzarella cheese, and some of them use animal-based rennet while others use plant-based rennet.

Animal based rennets are generally considered haram, whereas plant-based rennets are generally considered Halal.

Therefore, it is important to check the ingredients list of your preferred brand when buying mozzarella cheese.

Although, in some cases, animal-based rennet is considered Halal depending on how it was obtained. Such as if it was taken from a Halal slaughtered animal.

However, in research, we found non of the brands used halal animal-based rennet in making their mozzarella cheese.

Therefore, if you want halal cheese, the best option is to look for a brand that uses plant-based rennet or microbial rennet.

If you don’t want to go through the hassle of researching, we have listed some popular Halal-certified brands producing Mozzarella cheese below.

You can also read is Parmesan cheese halal.

Halal Mozzarella Cheese Brands

Here are some popular brands producing halal mozzarella cheese.

• Arla – Halal Certified with a trademark on packaging
• Sorrento Low Moisture Part Skim Mozzarella Cheese
• Tillamook – Kosher and Halal certified
• Galbani – kosher certified, which means halal
• Friendship – Halal certified
• Miller’s – Kosher certified
• Taam Tov – Kosher certified

We found all the above brands to be Halal with certification, so you can buy them with confidence.

Note: The things change over time, so please double check halal or kosher certification on the packaging before buying.

Non Halal Mozzarella Cheese Brands

Although many non halal certified brands are widely available in the market, they don’t contain Halal-certified ingredients.

But below are some of the popular ones that use rennet from animal sources and are haram.

• Great Value
• Sargento
• Kraft
• Land’O Lakes
• Aldi
• Kirkland
• Waldbaum
• Happy Farm
• Keyfood
• FineFare
• Finast

If you’re confused about Cheddar cheese, you can read is cheddar cheese halal.

Ingredients Used To Make Mozzarella Cheese

Most of the mozzarella cheese brands use similar ingredients, but some may add a few extra ingredients to their own recipe.

The main ingredients used to make mozzarella cheese are:

• Cow Milk
• Salt
• Rennet (From animal or plant sources)
• Starter culture (Bacteria used to ferment milk)
• Enzymes
• Acidity regulator

In this, only the rennet is the ingredient that can be haram or halal. Hence to know more about the rennet, you can read below.

Types Of Rennet Explained

Rennet is an enzyme used in making cheese, and it’s mainly obtained from animals. But nowadays, some brands use plant-based rennet or microbial-based rennets too.

Below are the types of rennet used to make cheese:

Animal Rennet: It is obtained from the stomach of young calves, lambs, or kids. And it’s commonly used in making hard cheeses like cheddar and mozzarella.

Mainly the animal used is not slaughtered in a Halal way or used dead animals as sources. Hence, these types of rennet are haram and not suitable for Muslims.

Plant Rennet: It’s obtained from plants like cartoon, artichoke, and nettle. And it is used in making some soft cheese varieties.

This type of rennet is considered Halal and suitable for Muslim and vegan customers who do not consume animal-based products.

Microbial Rennet: It is derived from either bacteria or fungi and used in making soft cheeses like mozzarella.

This type of rennet is considered Halal and safe to consume for Muslims.

Geneti-modified (GMO) Rennet: It is created with the help of genetic engineering and used to make different types of cheese.

This type of rennet is considered Halal and safe to consume for Muslims.

Also read is pectin halal if you’ve no idea about this.

FAQs

Q. Is great value mozzarella cheese halal?

A. No, great value mozzarella cheese is not halal as it contains animal-based rennet.

Q. Is Kraft mozzarella cheese halal?

A. No, kraft mozzarella cheese is not halal, as it contains animal-based rennet.

Q. Is galbani mozzarella cheese halal?

A. Galbani mozzarella cheese is halal as it is certified Kosher, which means it is halal.

Q. Is mozzarella cheese halal in USA?

A. Yes, several brands are producing halal mozzarella cheese in the USA, like Arla, Sorrento, Tillamook, Friendship, and Miller’s. However, most of the other brands are not halal certified.

Q. Is mozzarella cheese halal IN Canada?

A. Yes, some brands are producing halal mozzarella cheese in Canada, like Arla, Sorrento, Tillamook, Friendship, and Miller’s. However, most of the brands are not halal, so make sure to check the ingredients list before buying.

Q. Is Kirkland mozzarella cheese halal?

A. No, Kirkland mozzarella cheese is not halal as it contains animal-based rennet.

Q. Is mozzarella cheese haram in Islam?

A. Mozzarella cheese can be haram or halal, depending on the rennet used in making it. Animal-based rennets are generally considered haram, whereas plant-based rennets and microbial rennets are generally considered Halal.

Q. Does Mozzarella cheese have rennet?

A. Yes, mozzarella cheese generally contains rennet which is used to curdle the milk in making it. However, some brands don’t use rennet and use other ingredients to curdle the milk.

Conclusion

In conclusion, mozzarella cheese can be either halal or haram, depending on the type of rennet used in making it. Animal-based rennets are generally considered haram, whereas plant-based rennets and microbial rennets are generally considered halal.

Therefore, if you want halal cheese, the best option is to look for a brand that uses plant-based rennet or microbial rennet. Some popular halal-certified brands are Arla, Sorrento, Tillamook, Galbani, Friendship, and Miller’s.

Make sure to go with this brand’s mozzarella cheese and do verify the certification on the packaging before buying.

We hope this article was helpful in understanding is mozzarella cheese halal or haram. May Allah SWT bless us with all righteous deeds. Ameen!