Are Takis Halal? Every Flavour Checked, UK and US

Most Takis are halal by their ingredients. Takis says none of its ingredients include “pork, lard, pepsin, pork gelatin, alcohol or alcohol derived ingredients”, and popular flavours such as Fuego, Blue Heat and Dragon Sweet Chili list no animal ingredients at all. Takis isn’t halal certified.

Two things need checking. Cheese flavours, such as Intense Nacho and Volcano, contain cheese and whey, and Takis doesn’t say how its cheese is made. And one line, Takis Crisps Fuego sold in the US, lists carmine, a red colour made from insects. It also helps to know that there are two kinds of Takis: American Takis made in Mexico, and European Takis made in Spain, with different recipes. This guide covers both.

Quick answer

What Takis says

Takis replies to halal questions on its social media accounts with the same statement: “Takis are made from real corn and potatoes. None of its ingredients includes pork, lard, pepsin, pork gelatin, alcohol or alcohol derived ingredients.”

That rules out the main concerns. Pepsin is an enzyme from pigs that’s sometimes used to make cheese, so its exclusion matters for the cheese flavours. What the statement doesn’t cover is rennet from cattle that weren’t halal slaughtered, and it isn’t a halal certificate.

Two kinds of Takis

Takis are made by Barcel, part of Mexico’s Grupo Bimbo. Takis sold in the US and Canada are made in Mexico. Takis sold in the UK and most of Europe are made in Spain (some packs say Spain or the UK). The recipes are different.

A quick way to tell them apart in a UK shop is the barcode. European Takis start with 8412600. Takis imported from America, often sold in sweet and snack shops, start with 0757528.

American Takis (US and Canada): flavour by flavour

The US Fuego and Blue Heat recipes list corn flour, vegetable oil, maltodextrin, citric acid, sugar, salt, monosodium glutamate, hydrolysed soy protein, onion powder, yeast extract, synthetic colours, natural and artificial flavours, chili pepper, flavour enhancers and TBHQ. None of these comes from pork or needs slaughter.

European and UK Takis: flavour by flavour

European Takis use plant colours in most flavours, so there’s no carmine question for Fuego. “May contain milk” is a warning about shared equipment, not an ingredient, and doesn’t affect the halal status.

Are Takis cheese flavours halal?

It depends on how you view cheese of unknown origin. Cheese is made with enzymes that can come from microbes, plants, or the stomachs of young cattle. Takis rules out pork pepsin, but doesn’t say whether its cheese uses microbial rennet or rennet from cattle.

• If you avoid cheese unless the rennet is microbial or halal, skip Intense Nacho, Volcano and other cheese flavours.
• If you follow the view that cheese made with any rennet from a permitted animal is acceptable, held by Imam Abu Hanifa and some other scholars, the cheese flavours may be fine for you.

Our cheese guide explains both views in detail.

Carmine in Takis Crisps Fuego

The US Takis Crisps Fuego, made from dried potatoes, lists carmine lake among its colours, according to its label on Open Food Facts. Carmine (E120) is a red colour made from cochineal insects.

Scholars differ on it. Indonesia’s MUI and Malaysia’s fatwa committee allow it, as do many Maliki scholars. Many Hanafi, Shafi’i and Hanbali scholars don’t. If you avoid carmine, check the ingredients on any red Takis product for carmine, cochineal or E120. The standard Fuego rolls don’t contain it.

Are Takis halal in the UK?

Yes, by ingredients, for most flavours. UK Takis are mainly the European recipe, made in Spain. Fuego, Blue Heat, Dragon Sweet Chili and Zombie list no animal ingredients. Avoid Intense Nacho and Volcano if you avoid cheese of unknown origin. American Takis imported into the UK follow the US tables above.

Are Takis halal in the USA and Canada?

Yes, by ingredients, for flavours with no cheese or dairy, such as Fuego, Blue Heat and Dragon Sweet Chili. Cheese flavours are doubtful, and Takis Crisps Fuego contains carmine.

Are Takis halal in the UAE?

Takis sold in the UAE are imported, often from Spain or the US. All food sold in the UAE must meet its halal rules, but check the pack for a halal logo or the ingredients against the tables above.

Are Takis vegetarian or vegan?

Fuego, Blue Heat and Dragon Sweet Chili contain no animal ingredients in the US or Europe, so they suit vegetarians and vegans, though they may contain milk from shared equipment. Cheese flavours aren’t vegan. Takis Crisps Fuego isn’t vegan because of the carmine.

A short history of Takis

Barcel launched Takis in Mexico in 1999, and they reached the US in the early 2000s. The rolled tortilla chip, with its strong chili and lime flavour, became one of the fastest growing snacks in the US. Takis are now sold across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and beyond.