Are Fruit Roll Ups Halal? Sweet Treat Explained
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Are fruit roll ups halal? Fruit roll ups are a popular snack for both children and adults, but for those following a halal diet, the question of whether or not they are permissible to consume can be a tricky one.
In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at the ingredients found in fruit roll ups to help you determine whether or not this snack fits within your dietary guidelines.
Are Fruit Roll Ups Halal?
Yes, Fruit Roll-Ups is considered halal! They don’t contain any obvious animal products like gelatin (common offender in chewy treats) and they’re also made with REAL fruit. Fruit roll ups are made from fruit puree, sugar and other ingredients. The ingredients used are all considered halal and permissible to consume.
What Are Fruit Roll-Ups Really Made Of?
According to the Betty Crocker website, Fruit Roll-Ups get their texture from a halal-friendly mix of the following ingredients:
- Corn Syrup
- Dried Corn Syrup
- Sugar
- Pear Puree Concentrate
- Palm Oil
- Contains 2% or less of Citric Acid
- Sodium Citrate
- Fruit Pectin
- Monoglycerides
- Malic Acid
- Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)
- Acetylated Monoglycerides
- Natural Flavor
- Food Colorants (red 40 / allura red, yellows 5 & 6, blue 1)
Now, let’s take a few minutes to break all of those down for you, so you can see what you’re eating.
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Corn Syrup
Corn syrup is a common sweetener used in many processed foods, and it’s derived from corn starch. It’s important to note that corn syrup is halal.
Sugar
Refined white sugar is combined with corn syrup to make a thick paste that serves as the foundation for the Fruit Roll-Ups.
Pear Puree
Fruit Roll-Ups have an explosively fruity flavour thanks to the use of real pear puree, which has a very sweet, syrupy flavour. Real fruit is the third most common ingredient in this snack!
Maltodextrin
Maltodextrin is a simple starch derived from corn, potatoes, or rice, making it completely halal and plant-based. It’s a common food additive used to remove moisture from candy and snacks.
Palm Oil
Palm oil is a plant-based cooking oil that is widely used in the fast-food industry as well as in processed foods.
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Citric Acid
Citric acid is a natural, fruit-derived acid that gives the Fruit Roll-Ups a slightly sour or tart flavour, enhancing their “real fruit” flavour.
Sodium Citrate
Sodium citrate is a natural preservative that is very similar to citric acid. It increases the acidity of the fruit snacks, preventing bacteria from growing on them and extending the product’s shelf life.
Acetylated & Normal Monoglycerides
Monoglycerides are fatty acids that aid in the binding of water and oil agents. They act as emulsifiers in Fruit Roll-Ups, ensuring that the mixture remains consistent and that the ingredients do not separate.
Fruit Pectin
Fruit pectin is a natural gel derived from fruits. It’s similar to gelatin in some ways, and it’s an all-natural, plant-based substance that gives the Fruit Roll-Ups a chewy texture.
Malic Acid
Malic acid is another flavour additive that is known for giving candy a sour flavour profile. It’s made from fruit skin and is 100% Halal.
Ascorbic Acid
Ascorbic acid is simply a fancy name for lab-created vitamin C. This is halal and is simply added to make the snacks healthier for the children targeted by the snack.
Natural Flavors
Fruit Roll-Ups are mostly made of natural fruit flavours. You don’t have to worry about where these come from because they’re all plant-based!
Artificial Colors
Finally, all Fruit Roll-Ups are artificially coloured. You don’t have to worry about beetles or animal by-products in your snack because the colours are artificial and lab-created dyes like red 40!
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When looking at the full list of fruit roll ups ingredients, there is nothing that raises concerns.
The only questionable ingredients is Monoglycerides. Monoglycerides can be made from animal fats and it’s impossible to know this by reading the ingredients.
Halal Guide Team Members contacted general Mills and they confirmed that the monoglycerides used in making fruit rolls ups are plant-based. They stated that:
The acetylated monoglycerides are a vegetable derivative; natural building blocks of plants, synthesized from natural components.
Note that Flavors and ingredients can change at anytime. Always check the ingredients to be sure if a product is halal. If there are questionable ingredients, you can contact the company. Different countries may also have different flavors. Flavors could also be discontinued at any time and new flavors could be made.
In conclusion, fruit roll ups are generally considered halal as they do not contain any non-halal ingredients.
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