Are Port Tarts Halal? What You Need To Know

Are port tarts halal? This is a question about food. It has seen that port tarts have gelatin in it, but does not specify the type. Some people contacted Kellogs and to our amazement there are two different types of gelatin in their products. 

The pop tart line (frosted) happens to be derived from beef gelatin, whereas their marshmallows happens to be from pork gelatin. In this article, we are going to look whether pop tarts are halal or haram.

Are Port Tarts Halal?

No, port tarts is only considered halal if the gelatin used in making it is derived from halal sources. Port tarts include Gelatin created of beef or pork. According to a Kellogg’s Consumers Affairs Representative, Pop Tarts are not halal certified. However, just because a product is not halal certified does not mean it is not halal. It simply means that the business has not yet invested in halal certification.

On the other hand, if it is confirmed that the gelatin is only made of beef and not include pork, then port tarts is halal. 

This is because, in Islam, there’s nothing wrong with extracting gelatin from the skin, sinews, and bones of animals that are halal (permissible) to eat and have been slaughtered properly, or from plants that aren’t harmful or poisonous.

This type of gelatin is halal, and there is no harm in using or consuming it in food or medicine.

Extraction of gelatin from the flesh, bones, and skin of pigs or permissible animals that have not been slaughtered in the prescribed manner is prohibited (Haram).

Halal Guidance team contacted them via email

Below is their response:

What Type Of Gelatin Is Used In Pop-Tarts?

According to Kelloggs website, In the United States, the gelatin in Frosted Pop-Tarts® is derived from beef and used to improve the product’s texture. Gelatin is not present in plain (unfrosted) Pop-Tarts®.

Gelatin derived from pork can be found in the following products in the United States:

• All varieties of Rice Krispies Treats® Squares and
• Kellogg’s® cereals containing marshmallow additives (Marshmallow Froot Loops cereal). 

Beef gelatin can be found in the following products in the United States:

• Frosted Pop-Tarts® in all flavors.
• Frosted Mini-Wheats® cereal in all varieties.
• Rice Krispies Treats™ cereal in all flavors.
• All Kellogg’s® Rice Krispies Treats™ Snap, Crackle, Poppers™ varieties

Some of the foods in the United States contain gelatin derived from either beef or pork; sourcing is based on market availability. These are some examples:

• Fruit-flavored Kellogg’s® snacks.
• All Krave Treat Bar

In addition, they also state that you should keep in mind that none of the equipment used in the production of the other pastries comes into contact with the gelatin in Frosted Pop-Tarts®. 

As a result, gelatin is not present in Plain (Unfrosted) Pop-Tarts®. Some of the toaster pastries contain pre-gelatinized wheat starch, which is derived from wheat and does not contain gelatin.

Note that this data is applicable to products sold in the United States. Other countries’ products may contain different ingredients and nutritional information.

They did confirm that the Gelatin is beef-derived. However, there is no information on whether the animal was slaughtered in a halal manner, so this may not be enough to classify it as halal.

As a result, we looked into the ingredients of one of their most popular flavors: Frosted Chocolate Chip Pop-Tarts.

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Ingredients of the Frosted Chocolate Chip Pop-Tarts

According to their site, here’s a list of the ingredients in the Frosted Chocolate Chip Pop-Tarts:

• Enriched flour (wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron,
• vitamin B1 [thiamin mononitrate],
• vitamin B2 [riboflavin], folic acid),
• sugar, dextrose,
• soybean and palm oil (with TBHQ for freshness),
• high fructose corn syrup,
• bleached wheat flour, corn syrup,
• whey, contains two percent or less of semisweet chocolate chips (sugar, chocolate, dextrose, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, milkfat, vanilla),
• milk chocolate (sugar, milk, cocoa butter, chocolate),
• cocoa processed with alkali,
• molasses, salt, wheat starch,
• leavening (baking soda, sodium aluminum phosphate),
• nonfat milk,
• caramel color,
• sodium stearoyl lactylate, soy lecithin,
• natural and artificial flavors,
• gelatin,
• xanthan gum,
• DATEM, yellow 6 lake, blue 2 lake, red 40 lake, egg whites, yellow 5 lake.

When looking at that list, whey and gelatin stand out as unusual ingredients. We couldn’t find enough evidence that the whey was derived from halal sources. Furthermore, we were unable to obtain confirmation that the Gelatin used was extracted from beef rather than pork.

In general, It is haram if the gelatin is derived from something haram, such as pork or pig skin, bones, and so on.

Allah, may He be exalted, says:

Forbidden to you (for food) are: Al-Maytatah (the dead animals – cattle-beast not slaughtered), blood, the flesh of swine..

Surah al-Maidah verse 3.

Pig fat is included in this prohibition, according to the scholars. There is nothing wrong with gelatin if no haram substances or ingredients are used in its production.

Are Strawberry Pop Tarts Halal?

Yes, strawberry pop tarts are halal. This is due to the fact that is unfrosted pop-tart varieties. And unfrosted pop-tart varieties doesn’t contain gelatin.

Are Cinnamon Pop Tarts Halal?

Yes, cinnamon pop tarts are halal. This is due to the fact that is unfrosted pop-tart varieties. And unfrosted pop-tart varieties doesn’t contain gelatin.

Halal Pop Tarts

Gelatin is only used in the frosted Pop-Tart varieties, so Unfrosted Blueberry, Unfrosted Strawberry, and Unfrosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon contain no gelatin and they are considered halal. Allah knows best 

Conclusion

To summarize: While the gelatin in Pop Tarts is derived from beef, the sources of whey are unknown. Before making a final decision, we strongly advise you to conduct your own research to determine whether you are comfortable eating it or not.

Consuming foods, drinks, and medicines containing gelatin derived from pig skin or other impure substances is not permissible, especially when alternatives in the form of animals, which Allah has permitted, are available. 

Gelatin can be produced from these animals that are slaughtered in the prescribed manner, and it will serve the same purpose in the production of medicine or food.