Islam outlines comprehensive dietary laws, one of which pertains to the consumption of alcohol, commonly referred to as Khamr.
These laws categorize all intoxicating substances, irrespective of their origin or form, as Unclean (Najis in Arabic) and prohibit their consumption or use in any form.
This principle extends to forbid the addition of any form of Khamr to food, drink, or food preparation, as it is seen as contaminating the substance with a forbidden item.
This document outlines the principles regarding the permissible alcohol limitations in foods, beverages, and non-foods, especially focusing on the substance ethanol, which is often present in small quantities in various products due to natural fermentation or usage in certain flavorings and concentrates.
The guidelines drawn from Islamic law make a distinction between Khamr [non-permissible ethanol] and permissible ethanol. While ethanol is the intoxicating substance found in Khamr, not all ethanol is categorized as Khamr or Unclean (Najis).
For instance, ethanol produced outside the Khamr industry is considered clean. Ethanol is commonly present in a range of foods due to natural fermentation or the use of flavourings and concentrates in food manufacturing. However, the presence of ethanol in food is a matter of religious concern in Islam and requires strict adherence to established guidelines.
Identifying specific percentages of ethanol presence in food is not a matter of product safety or quality but of adhering to the Halal requirements of Islamic law. The acceptable limits of ethanol resulting from natural fermentation are specified in Section 5. These limits determine the acceptance or rejection of ethanol during the manufacturing process.
Artificial and natural flavours, colours, and some meat or vegetable bases may contain alcohol products as flavour carriers. Similarly, cordials containing flavouring substances with a small amount of alcohol added as a stabilizer are allowed, provided the alcohol is not derived from Khamr [forbidden] production processes and the alcohol content does not exceed the limit in the finished product.
While alcohol is commonly used as a solvent or carrier for flavours, and in some cases as an irreplaceable solvent in manufacturing, alternatives like propylene glycol can be utilized. The amount of ethyl alcohol in the final product must not exceed the specified limits to be considered Halal. In some specific cases, the use of alcoholic by-products is acceptable if these materials/products have been chemically or biologically transformed to produce new compounds.
We refer to the Halal services Asia Schemes for further information.
Permissible Alcohols are defined within the Halal Certification Scheme and the Halal Assurance Program Scheme.
Standard GSO 2538:2021 [Gulf Region]
Standard SMIIC 1: 2019 [OIC Region]
Standard SMIIC 24:2020 [OIC Region]
Irsyad Al-Fatwa Series 290 [Mufti of Federal Territory’s Office, Malaysia]
MUI fatwa on No. 10 years 2018 about Food and Beverage Products Containing Alcohol / Ethanol [Indonesia]
Office of the Mufti in Singapore issued Fatwa: “Natural Ethanol in Halal Food Flavouring”- muis.gov.sg [Singapore]
Review: “Ethanol and its Halal status in food industries” – November 2016
HSA Halal Certification Scheme
HSA Halal Assurance Program Scheme
| Nr. | Item Classification | Permissible Limit |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Grape Vinegar | 1% |
| 2. | All Other Types of Vinegar | 0.5% |
| 3. | All Kinds of Pickles | 0.5% |
| 4. | Juices, including Nectars and Non-Alcoholic Cocktails of All Kinds | 0.2% |
| 5. | Fruit Drinks of All Kinds and Shapes | 0.1% |
| 6. | Soft Drinks and Energy Drinks. | 0.05% |
| 7. | Sauces and Ketchup (All Kinds), Ready-To-Eat Foods, and Foods Prepared from Vegetables and Fruits. | 0.3% |
| 8. | Ready-to-Drink Flavored Waters | 0.1% |
| 9. | All Kinds of Dairy Products | 0.2% |
| 10. | Processed Foods: Meats, Grains, Legumes, Fats and Oils, Egg Products, Seafood, or Spices | 0.05% |
| 11. | Raw Materials: Protein Concentrates, Sugars, Yeasts, Essential Oils, Raw Cocoa, and Relevant | 0.5% |
| 12. | Confectioneries | 0.05% |
| 13. | All Other Items Not Mentioned | 0.2% |
*only the latest standards, schemes, or fatwas do apply. This document may be revised every year.
This document is continuously evolving; monitoring the version number and the revision history is advised.
5.1 – Table A1: Items classified as Fit for Consumption
Region: Gulf and the Middle East
Table A2: Items classified as Not Fit for Human Consumption
Region: Gulf and the Middle East
| Nr. | Item Classification | Permissible Limit |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Flavours, Fragrances, Chemicals, Cleaning Materials, and Relevant | No Defined Limit** |
*Permissible Alcohols are defined within the Halal Certification Scheme and the Halal Assurance Program Scheme.
** During operations in cases where ethanol is used as a solvent that cannot be completely dispensed within manufacturing, the amount of ethyl alcohol (ethanol) in the final product must not exceed the maximum limits mentioned in Table A1.
5.2 – Table B1: Items classified as Fit for Consumption
Region: Malaysia
| Nr. | Item Classification | Permissible Limit |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Colouring | 0.5% |
| 2. | Flavouring | 0.5% |
| 3. | All Other Items | 0.1%* |
Table B2: Items classified as Not Fit for Human Consumption
Region: Malaysia
| Nr. | Item Classification | Permissible Limit |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Flavours, Fragrances, Chemicals, Cleaning Materials, and Relevant | No Defined Limit** |
*Permissible Alcohols are defined within the Halal Certification Scheme and the Halal Assurance Program Scheme.
** During operations in cases where ethanol is used as a solvent that cannot be completely dispensed within manufacturing, the amount of ethyl alcohol (ethanol) in the final product must not exceed the maximum limits mentioned in Table B1.
5.3 – Table C1: Items classified as Fit for Consumption
Region: Indonesia
| Nr. | Item Classification | Permissible Limit |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Colouring | 0.5% |
| 2. | Flavouring | 0.5% |
| 3. | All Other Items | 0.5% |
*Permissible Alcohols are defined within the Halal Certification Scheme and the Halal Assurance Program Scheme. Please see the References Section for Indonesia.
Table C2: Items classified as Not Fit for Human Consumption
Region: Indonesia
| Nr. | Item Classification | Permissible Limit |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Flavours, Fragrances, Chemicals, Cleaning Materials, and Relevant | No Defined Limit |
5.4 – Table D1: Items classified as Fit for Consumption
Region: Singapore
| Nr. | Item Classification | Permissible Limit |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Colouring | 0.5% |
| 2. | Flavouring | 0.5% |
| 3.. | All Other Items | 0.1%* |
Table D2: Items classified as Not Fit for Human Consumption
Region: Singapore
| Nr. | Item Classification | Permissible Limit |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Flavours, Fragrances, Chemicals, Cleaning Materials, and Relevant | No Defined Limit** |
*Permissible Alcohols are defined within the Halal Certification Scheme and the Halal Assurance Program Scheme. Please see the References Section for Singapore
** During operations in cases where ethanol is used as a solvent that cannot be completely dispensed within manufacturing, the amount of ethyl alcohol (ethanol) in the final product must not exceed the maximum limits mentioned in Table D1.
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