E631 Halal or Haram? A Comprehensive Guide
The food code E631 is Sodium inosinate. It is an additive and flavor enhancer in our favourite items, such as chips, lays, instant noodles, ketchup, powder seasonings, and ready-made sauces. Sodium inosinate mainly comes from animals like fish and pigs, which makes Muslims concerned about its Halal status.
E631 is not solely an animal product but is also obtained from cassava plants. Having multiple sources, food code E631 falls in the Mushbooh category as a source of the code is not mentioned in the backpack of food items. Mushbooh is an Arabic term that means suspected or harmful.
E631 is halal if made from a plant source or non-alcoholic bacterial fermentation of sugar. However, it is haram if made from animal sources other than fish. Let us do an in-depth exploration of code E631.
What is E631?
The disodium salt of inosinic acid was introduced to the market in 2004. Its chemical formula is C10H11N4Na2O8P. It appears as a white granular powder. It is odourless and soluble in water. It is used in food items to thicken the products, to make their taste delicious, and to lower the salt content in food.
How is E631 made?
Disodium inosinate is produced in different ways:
- It is obtained from chicken or Sardines. Sardines are small, silvery, elongated fishes mainly used to make food enhancers.
- It is obtained from other meats, probably pigs in European countries.
- It is made from plant extract of tapioca starch.
- It is also made by bacterial fermentation of sugar and carbon.
- It is made from brewer’s yeast extract.
Is E631 Halal or Haram in Lays chips ?
After the flood of rumours on social media about the non-halal nature of E631, Lays Pakistan has clarified that chips are 100% Halal. Because the flavor enhancer used in lays is made from a plant extract of tapioca starch, there are no Haram ingredients.
Lays company got its halal certification from SANHA Pakistan in 2009. All ingredients used in making lays chips from that time comply with Halal dietary guidelines. You can enjoy your favourite snack in peace now.
List of Products with E631 :
As E631 is used in a variety of products, the list is given below:
- Lays potato chips
- Lays Stax
- Cadbury chocolate
- instant noodles
- Kurkure chips
- Parle biscuits
- Pringles
- Sweet chilli Doritos
- Soya Sticks
- Bingo Potato Chips Cream & Onion
- Schezwan chilli garlic Chutney
- Knorr hot & sour soup cup
- Britannia 5050 Potazos
Halal status of E631 in different countries:
Famous brands of food-snacking companies use E631 in their items. It is obtained from halal sources in countries like Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and other Central Asian countries.
Conclusion:
In this article(E631 Halal or Haram), we have learned about the halal or haram status of disodium inosinate. E631 is halal if it is extracted from sardines or tapioca starch. It is haram from any other source.