Q: Are the bread rolls, cakes and other confectionery items baked at pick n pay, checkers and spar supermarkets Halaal?
Answer: Bakery outlets which are not certified/ approved fall within the category of Mushtabihat (doubtful areas) due to the following reasons:
- Ingredients/ premixes used may contain improvers such as l-cysteine which is commonly derived from human hair.
- Pangreases may not be Halaal compliant.
- Possible use of animal fats such as lard for glazing or greasing purposes.
- Contamination with Haraam (non-Halaal) meat products in storage, handling, preparation and processing is highly possible.
- Natural basting brushes used in bakeries are commonly manufactured using pig hair.
- Possible use of brandy, sherry etc in certain confectionery products.
- Gelatin is often used as a stabilizer and aerating agent in mousses, cheesecakes, and in fresh and sour creams that are used by bakeries.
cd/11.11/rv