Is Cheese Halal? Rennet, Enzymes and What the Scholars Say

Most cheese is halal, and cheese made without animal enzymes is halal for everyone. The question is rennet, the enzyme that turns milk into curds. If it comes from microbes, plants or fermentation, the cheese is halal. If it comes from a pig, the cheese is haram. If it comes from a calf that wasn’t slaughtered Islamically, scholars disagree.

One group, including the Shafi’i and Maliki schools, says that rennet is impure, so the cheese isn’t halal. Another group, including the Hanafi school and Ibn Taymiyyah, says rennet from any animal other than a pig stays pure, so the cheese is halal. Both views are held by recognised scholars. This guide explains each one and shows you which cheeses you actually need to check.

Quick answer by cheese type

How cheese is made, and where the halal question comes in

Cheese starts as milk. Cheesemakers add cultures, then an enzyme to set the milk into curds. Draining the whey leaves the curds, which are pressed, salted and aged.

That setting enzyme is rennet. Traditionally it came from the stomach lining of young calves, lambs or goats. Today there are four main sources:

• Animal rennet: from the stomachs of calves, lambs or kids. The halal question depends on how the animal was slaughtered.
• Microbial rennet: made by fungi such as Mucor miehei. No animals involved. Halal.
• Vegetable rennet: from plants such as thistle or fig. Halal, but rare.
• Fermentation produced chymosin (FPC): the same enzyme as calf rennet, made by microorganisms. No animals involved. Halal.

FPC has become the norm. By 2008, around 80% to 90% of commercially made cheese in the US and Britain used it, and it now holds up to 80% of the global rennet market. That’s why most everyday supermarket cheese in the UK and US doesn’t use animal rennet at all.

The other enzymes to know

Rennet isn’t the only animal enzyme in cheese. Two more matter:

• Pepsin: sometimes blended with rennet. It is often taken from pigs, which makes the cheese haram for every school.
• Lipase: adds sharp flavour to cheeses such as provolone, some feta and some Italian hard cheeses. It can come from the throats of young calves, lambs or kids, or from microbes.

Halal certifiers check for both. A label that just says “enzymes”, common in the US, doesn’t tell you which kind were used.

What the scholars say about animal rennet

The disagreement goes back centuries. It turns on one question: is rennet from an animal that wasn’t slaughtered Islamically pure or impure?

The strict view: the rennet is impure

The Maliki and Shafi’i schools, and one report from Imam Ahmad, hold that rennet from an animal that died without proper slaughter is impure (najis). Cheese made with it is not halal. Most halal certifiers follow this view, which is why a halal logo on cheese usually means microbial rennet, FPC, or rennet from halal slaughtered calves.

The lenient view: the rennet stays pure

Imam Abu Hanifa and another report from Imam Ahmad hold that rennet stays pure even when the animal wasn’t slaughtered Islamically, because it isn’t part of the animal that dies. A Hanafi answer on SeekersGuidance explains that no blood flows through rennet, so it isn’t a living part of the animal, and it’s permissible whoever slaughtered the calf, as long as it isn’t from a pig.

Ibn Taymiyyah preferred this view. He noted that the Companions ate the cheese of the Magians, whose slaughtered meat was not halal. IslamQA, following this reasoning, concludes that cheese is permissible whether or not you know the source of its rennet.

The Jordanian General Iftaa Department, which follows the Shafi’i school, has also ruled that Muslims may eat cheese made in Western countries with animal rennet. Its reasons include the presumption that the food of the People of the Book is lawful, and that banning it would cause people hardship. The exception is rennet that is known to come from a dead animal or a forbidden animal.

Where every school agrees

• Rennet or pepsin from a pig is haram.
• Cheese made with microbial rennet, vegetable rennet or FPC is halal.
• Cheese containing alcohol is not halal.
• The Prophet (peace be upon him) ate cheese. Abu Dawud records that cheese was brought to him during the expedition to Tabuk and he ate from it.

What to do in practice

If you follow a Hanafi scholar or accept the lenient view, everyday cheese is generally fine unless it contains pig enzymes or alcohol. If you follow the strict view, eat cheese with a halal mark, a vegetarian mark, or a clear statement of microbial or non animal rennet. Both approaches have solid scholarly support. Neither is a reason to criticise another Muslim’s shopping basket.

Is Parmesan halal?

Real Parmigiano Reggiano is made with calf rennet. Its official PDO specification says milk coagulation is “obtained exclusively by the use of calf rennet”. There is no vegetarian Parmigiano Reggiano.

So Parmigiano Reggiano isn’t halal under the strict view, and is permissible under the lenient view, as long as no pig enzymes are used. Cheaper “Italian hard cheese” or “Parmesan style” cheeses are often made with microbial rennet and carry a vegetarian mark. Those are halal for everyone.

Is mozzarella halal?

Most supermarket mozzarella in the UK and US is made with microbial rennet or FPC, which is halal. Fresh buffalo mozzarella from Italy may use animal rennet. Pizza chains buy mozzarella from many suppliers, so a pizza isn’t halal just because the cheese is. The meat and the kitchen matter too.

Is cheddar halal?

Most mass produced cheddar in the UK and US uses FPC or microbial rennet and is labelled suitable for vegetarians. Some traditional farmhouse cheddars still use animal rennet, so check the label on premium and artisan cheddars.

Is cream cheese halal?

Usually. Cream cheese is set with acid and cultures, and most brands use no rennet at all. Check for gelatin in some light or spreadable versions, and for any flavourings that contain alcohol.

Is paneer halal?

Yes. Paneer is made by curdling hot milk with lemon juice or vinegar. No rennet is used, so it’s halal for everyone. Shop bought paneer is the same, but check the pack for additives.

How to tell if cheese is halal: a label checklist

1. Look for a halal logo. Certifiers such as HFA and HMC in the UK, IFANCA in the US, HMA and ISNA in Canada, JAKIM in Malaysia and MUIS in Singapore check the rennet and every enzyme.
2. Look for a vegetarian mark. In the UK, cheese labelled suitable for vegetarians isn’t made with animal rennet. The Vegetarian Society’s approved mark is the strictest version.
3. Read the enzyme line. “Microbial rennet”, “non animal rennet”, “vegetarian rennet” or “fermentation produced chymosin” are all halal. “Animal rennet” needs the fiqh decision above. “Pepsin” may mean pig. Plain “enzymes” means ask.
4. Check for alcohol. Some cheeses are washed in wine or mixed with beer, ale, port or whisky. Those aren’t halal.
5. Check the whey. Whey powder in snacks and sauces takes the same ruling as the cheese it came from. Certifiers treat it as halal only when its rennet was halal.
6. Ask the maker when in doubt. Most dairies will tell you their rennet source by email.

Is cheese halal in the USA and the UK?

In both countries, most supermarket cheese is made with FPC or microbial rennet. The difference is labelling. UK cheese often carries a clear “suitable for vegetarians” mark. US labels often just say “enzymes”, which could be animal, microbial or FPC. If you follow the strict view in the US, halal certified or clearly labelled vegetarian cheese is the easiest route.