Apart from cheeses found in desi grocery stores, what other cheeses are considered halal and okay for consumption? Please list some that could be bought from normal grocery stores. I’m looking for all kind of cheeses for eg. Mozzarella, Parmesan, Cottage, Cheddar, Sliced etc.
Also what kind of ingredients that are found in commercial cheeses should one avoid? I’ve been to plenty of websites with such information but i am looking for peoples’ personal experiences. Thanks!
Re: Halal Cheese
Dunno too much about cheese making, but I think the most problematic ingredient is rennet, which I think is a curding agent that comes from the lining of the cow's (or can also be sheep) stomach. So if the animal is not raised and slaughtered as halal, the rennet wouldn't be considered halal.
I think most goat cheeses do not contain rennet.
I also saw in my local grocery store recently that Cabot cheese of Vermont makes a halal cheddar cheese! I was very surprised. Don't think this would be available outside of big cities in the USA and perhaps in Canada, however.
Re: Halal Cheese
there was a similar thread but it’s specifically about cheddar…
http://www.paklinks.com/gs/household-affairs-cuisine-corner/306006-cheddar-cheese.html
Re: Halal Cheese
Cheegum, look for rennet and enzymes. It's not the type of cheese but the brands. For example, where we live, we get Tillamook which is considered safe for us to consume. Kraft cheeses on the other hand are said to contain non permissible animal ingredients.
Re: Halal Cheese
Here’s a list of brands of cheese that don’t contain animal rennet(check description for each):
Re: Halal Cheese
Most cheese are HALAL since they use genetically modified rods & coccus bacteria for culture. As for rennet, it is also artifically produced enzyme, since calf stomach enzymes costs more and produces unpredictable/inconsistant results. Some cheese producers do use organic rennet, but they do mention it on their labels.
Re: Halal Cheese
Here in the UK, there are MANY, MANY "suitable for vegetarian" cheeses that are made with vegetarian rennet, not the rennet that comes from the lining of a calf's stomach.
Do you not have the "suitable for vegetarian" symbols on foodstuff's in Canada / US?
Re: Halal Cheese
^ they have kosher signs but ive never seen vegetarian signs
Re: Halal Cheese
^ How strange. Perhaps is more common in Britain. You guys should lobby food manufacturer's to put veggie signs on.
Even Kellogg's have a Halal sign on some of their products here.