Is Parmesan Cheese Halal Or Haram? (All Clear)

Parmesan cheese is a hard, granular cheese that originated in Italy. It is made from cow’s milk and has a sharp, salty taste. It is a common ingredient in Italian cuisine, especially in recipes like pasta.

While nowadays it is enjoyed by many in USA, Uk, and Canada, there has been some confusion among Muslims as to whether parmesan cheese is halal or haram (forbidden).

If you’re one of those who’s been wondering the same, you’re on the right page.

This article will answer is parmesan cheese halal or haram and provide some insight into the ingredients used to make it. Let’s clear the doubt.

Is Parmesan Cheese Halal

The straight answer is No, parmesan cheese is not halal due to the use of animal rennet in its production.

Rennet is an enzyme derived from the stomachs of unweaned calves, lambs, and goats. It is used to coagulate the milk in cheese making and serves as a preservative. While some forms of rennet are vegetarian, animal rennet is used in the production of parmesan cheese.

Animal rennet is haram in Islam, and therefore, parmesan cheese is not considered halal.

This is because the company doesn’t provide any information on how the animal is slaughtered and what type of rennet is used in production.

Also, sometimes the pork rennet is added for taste and to increase the shelf life of parmesan cheese. This further makes it haram for Muslims to consume.

If you look at the ingredients list of parmesan cheese, you will find that it contains rennet as an ingredient. But no information on its source.

But with research, we found that the rennet used in parmesan cheese is sourced from animals, which makes it haram for Muslims to consume.

Lastly, note that Miller’s parmesan cheese is considered halal as it does not contain rennet. Hence, Miller’s is an option if you are looking for halal parmesan cheese.

You might also like knowing is cheddar cheese halal?

Type Of Parmesan Cheese With Halal Status

You might think several brands offer parmesan cheese, so why not one of them must be halal?

The answer is yes; one brands offer halal parmesan cheese. That’s Miller’s brand.

Miller’s Parmesan cheese – Halal

Miller’s Parmesan cheese contains vegetarian enzymes instead of animal rennet and is made under strict guidelines for production.

Although it has no halal certification, its ingredients and production process do not violate Islamic law.

Also, it’s certified Kosher, which means it’s halal by default. Because the Kosher certification process is even stricter than Halal and doesn’t allow the use of any animal-derived ingredients.

Hence, Miller’s Parmesan cheese is considered halal.

If you’re confused about Panera Bread, read here is panera bread halal.

Brands To Avoid

Most of the parmesan cheese brands use animal rennet in their production and hence are not considered halal. Some of these include:

• Kraft Parmesan Cheese
• Polly-O Parmesan Cheese
• Sargento Parmesan Cheese
• Great Value Parmesan Cheese
• Mame Parmesan Cheese

If you find any of these brands in your local store, avoiding them is best, and going for Miller’s Parmesan cheese instead.

This is because it contains animal rennet, making it haram for Muslims to consume.

Where Parmesan Cheese Is Used

Parmesan cheese is an important ingredient in many Italian dishes like pasta, risotto, Sandwiches, Salad, and pizza. This makes it hard to avoid if you’re eating out in Italian restaurants.

In this case, make sure to ask your waiter about the ingredients used in the dish and how they are made.

Ask for a substitute if you find Parmesan Cheese in the dish. Most restaurants are happy to accommodate such requests and can easily replace them with vegan cheese or non-dairy cheese. Otherwise, it is best to avoid the dish altogether.

Ingredients Used To Make Parmesan Cheese

If you’ve no idea what ingredients are used to make parmesan cheese, they are:

• Cow’s Milk – Source from Emilia-Romagna, Italy
• Animal Rennet – Derived from the stomachs of unweaned calves
• Salt
• Starter Culture
• Cheese mould
• Ageing – The cheese is then aged for 12-36 months or more

If you’ve no idea about Gluten, you can read here is Gluten haram.

FAQs

Q. Is kraft parmesan cheese halal?

A. No, Kraft Parmesan Cheese is not halal as it contains animal rennet, making it haram for Muslims to consume.

Q. Is great value parmesan cheese halal?

A. No, Great Value Parmesan Cheese is also not halal as it contains animal rennet in its production.

Q. Is sargento parmesan cheese halal?

A. Sargento Parmesan Cheese is not halal as it contains animal rennet which makes it haram.

Q. Which parmesan cheese is halal?

A. Miller’s Parmesan cheese is considered halal as it does not contain animal rennet in its production process.

Q. Is parmesan cheese halal in Canada?

A. No, parmesan cheese is not halal in Canada due to the presence of animal rennet in its production process. Only if you find Miller’s parmesan cheese, it will be halal.

Q. Which Parmesan cheese brand is halal?

A. Miller’s Parmesan cheese is the only brand that is considered halal as it does not contain animal rennet in its production.

Q. How do you know if Parmesan cheese is halal?

A. If you look at the ingredients list of parmesan cheese and find that it doesn’t contain rennet, then it is considered halal. However, if you find any type of rennet in its ingredients list, then it is not halal.

Conclusion

In conclusion, parmesan cheese is not halal due to the use of animal rennet in its production. However, Miller’s Parmesan cheese is considered halal since it contains no animal rennet.

Therefore, if you’re looking for halal parmesan cheese, then Miller’s is the only option. It is also important to note that other brands of parmesan cheese are not considered halal and should be avoided.

I hope your query is parmesan cheese halal is clear, and you better understand what to look for when buying parmesan cheese.

May Allah make all of us follow the teachings of Islam. Ameen!