Are Ruffles Halal? Know Which Flavors To Avoid

Are Ruffles halal? This is a question that many Muslims may have when they are looking to enjoy a tasty snack. Ruffles are a type of potato chip that are popular in many countries around the world. 

They are made from potatoes, oil, and salt, which are all halal ingredients. However, the question of whether Ruffles are halal goes beyond just the ingredients.

In this blog post, we will explore the various factors that determine whether Ruffles are halal and provide you with the information you need to make an informed decision.

Are Ruffles Halal?

Yes, the original Ruffles are halal. They simply contain potatoes, vegetable oil, and salt. As with most product lines, there are several flavors on offer by the brand and some varieties are halal while others contain animal-derived ingredients.

The original Ruffles as well as some of their seasonal flavors are halal. Like most chips, you’re able to find flavors free from animal ingredients and others with animal derivatives like cheese and sour cream.

Now, we’ll go into greater detail to show you which Ruffles are halal and which are not, as well as discuss a few questionable ingredients that may deter some vegans from eating specific halal-friendly Ruffles.

Halal Ruffles Flavors

Ruffles Original Potato Chips

These are the original Ruffles, and despite the mayonnaise-looking bowl on the packaging, the originals have very simple ingredients. Here are the ingredients:

• Potatoes
• Vegetable Oil (Sunflower, Corn, And/Or Canola Oil)
• Salt

It doesn’t have a single ingredient that would make you question. Needless to say, these Ruffles are 100% halal.

Ruffles All Dressed Potato Chips

These Ruffles have no animal ingredients and they are considered halal. Here are the ingredients:

• Potatoes
• Vegetable Oil (Sunflower, Corn, and/or Canola Oil)
• Maltodextrin [Made from Corn]
• Sugar
• Sodium Diacetate
• Salt
• Dextrose
• Torula Yeast
• Monosodium Glutamate
• Spices
• Sodium Acetate
• Garlic Powder
• Onion Powder
• Sunflower Oil
• Malic Acid
• Paprika Extracts
• And Natural Flavors

Ruffles Tapatio Limon Flavored Chips

Ruffles Tapatio Lemon-flavored chips are not found on Ruffle’s official website, but you can actually find them at Walmart. These chips don’t have any animal ingredients:

• Maltodextrin (From Corn)
• Sodium Diacetate
• Spices
• Salt
• Natural Flavors (From Lime)
• Modified Corn Starch
• Monosodium Glutamate
• Garlic Powder
• Artificial Colors (Red 40 Lake and Yellow 6 Lake)

RECOMMENDED READING: Are Peeps Halal? What You Need to Know

What Makes Some Ruffles Non-Halal?

The original plain salted variant of Ruffles chips is halal-friendly. When special flavoring is added, we need to be more careful because that is when most animal-derived contents can sneak into many food products.

Questionable Ingredients

All the ingredients used in making ruffles flavors are considered halal.

Cheese Flavors (They Typically Include Whey)

Whey powder carries the same ruling as animal rennet. If rennet is taken out of the stomach of an animal slaughtered in the name of Allah, there is no harm in using it. The meat, fat of an Islamically slaughtered animal are permissible. 

But, in the event they are taken from the stomach of an animal slaughtered unislamically, there is difference of views among Muslim jurists.

Imam Abu Hanifah and Imam Malik consider it clean and pure while Imam Abu Yusuf, Muhammad and others call it unclean and impure. Source

Animal Rennet (Enzymes)

Animal Rennet is an enzyme used in the food industry to prepare cheese by curdling milk. It is typically extracted from the stomach of a calf.

Cheese is 100% halal when the original cheeses used to make it use non-animal rennet. It is also considered permissible when the source of the animal enzymes are from live animal milk.

Animal rennet from a dead animal that was not slaughtered in accordance to Sharia has a chance of not being halal.

The ruling on rennet varies according to where it is taken from. If it is taken from an animal that has been slaughtered in accordance with sharee’ah, then it is pure and may be eaten.

If it is taken from an animal that died of natural causes or an animal that was not slaughtered in accordance with sharee’ah, then there is a difference of opinion among the fuqaha’ concerning it.

The majority of Maalikis, Shaafa’is and Hanbalis are of the view that it is najis. Abu Haneefah and Ahmad, according to the other report narrated from him, were of the view that it is taahir and halal.

This is the view favoured by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him). He said in al-Fataawa (21/102):

It is more likely that their cheese (referring to the Magians) is halaal and that the rennet from a dead animal (one that died of natural causes) and its milk are taahir. End quote.

According to Fatwa answered by IslamQA, the correct opinion is that whether you know the source of the rennet and that it comes from an animal that was slaughtered properly or otherwise, or you do not know, there is nothing wrong with eating cheese that has been made with it.