Re: Some of the answers to the questions that I've asked...
Unknown chemicals found in food products
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Question:
I have a question in many food products there are chemicals such as riboflavin and beta carotene-these products have animal ingredients but it does not mention what kind-is ir still ok to eat those?
Answer:
Dear questioner:
Al-Salâm `Alaykum wa Rahmah Allah wa Barakâtuh.
Riboflavin (E101) is also known as vitamin B2. In processed foods it is very likely to have been produced synthetically from bacteria using genetically modified Bacillus subtilis. Riboflavin is yellow or orange-yellow in colour and in addition to being used as a food colouring it is also used to fortify some foods. It can be found in such foods as baby foods, breakfast cereals, sauces, processed cheese, fruit drinks and vitamin-enriched milk products as well as being widely used in vitamin supplements.
Beta-carotine, also known as vitamin A, is generally derived from vegetable and fruit sources. Beta-carotene as a plant based color is generally available as either a 100% Beta-carotene in powdered form to be mixed only with dried powdered ingredients, with vegetable oil to be used in bakery products, or with fish gelatin. Animal gelatin might be used. However, the associated oil or gelatin is often not declared on product labels since it is considered merely a processing aid.
Fatwâ Department Research Committee of IslamToday chaired by Sheikh `Abd al-Wahhâb al-Turayrî
Please read the following general fatwâs about food attitives from our archives to put these matters into perspective:
Question: How should Muslims deal with all those e-codes on food labels? Should we avoid all such foods?
Answered by: Sheikh Abd al-Rahmân b. Ahmad b. Fâyi al-Jar`î
The issue requires first finding out exactly what each e-code stands for. This can be solicited from the experts in the appropriate fields.
Each code stands for a particular chemical. If it is established that a certain chemical is always of porcine origin, then it will be unlawful to eat of products containing that e-code in its ingredients.
However, if the e-code stands for a certain chemical of uncertain origin, then a Muslim may consume a product containing that e-code in its ingredients. The legal principle being employed here is that any issue wherein there is doubt is presumed to be nonexistent.
And Allah knows best.
Question: What is the ruling on all those food additives?
Answered by: Sheikh Ahmad b. Muhammad al-Khudayrî
All foods and drinks are permissible except those that are expressly forbidden by the Qur’ân and Sunnah, like pork and intoxicating drink.
Sometimes, permissible substances get mixed together with impermissible ones. There are two possible situations when this happens:
- The forbidden substance is so minute in comparison to the permissible substance that it is effectively nonexistent. It leaves no color, scent, or taste. In this case it is permissible to consume the permissible substance. The principle in Islamic law is that the impermissible substance has been completely obliterated by the permissible one. It does not matter whether either or both of the substances are solid or liquid.
- The forbidden substance is not totally submerged into the permissible one. Because of its quantity or strength. When this happens, the food or drink so affected is forbidden.
As far as the specific questions that you have, you can get the answer by either reading the label or contacting the company in question. Then you can apply what we have outlined above.
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I submitted this question on someone else's behalf. It didn't particularly interest me, but it could be of use to many others I guess.