Nutritional supplements for halal and kosher consumers: religious-based dietary laws impact ingredient options for supplement manufacturers. An explanation of basic considerations for these products can assist food manufacturers as well

Prepared Foods, Jan, 2005 by Mian N. Riaz, Joe. M. Regenstein

* Tablets. Tablets may be coated with gelatin (gel tabs) or with specialty lipids such as polysorbates. Manufacturers should use halal- or kosher-certified gelatin and/or plant-originating lipids. Sugars and plant proteins such as zein also may be used as a tablet-coating material in both kosher and halal products.

* Liquid supplements and drinks. Many liquid formulations are standardized with ethyl alcohol, as a preservative or solvent. Alternatives such as mixtures of propylene glycol and water may be used. Whereas there are minimal restrictions for ethyl alcohol in kosher products, the amount of residual alcohol in the final halal finished product must be reduced to an insignificant level.

* Softgel capsules. One-piece soft capsules used to be made exclusively from gelatin. They also can be made with vegetable ingredients such as modified starch, cellulose gum and other plant gums. Halal- and kosher-certified bovine and fish gelatin also is available for this purpose. Besides the main ingredient, softgel capsules may also contain glycerin or fat-derived chemicals, which, for halal and kosher products, should be from plant sources.

* Two Piece Hard-shell Capsules. Like softgels, hardgel capsules used to be made exclusively with gelatin. Now, there are vegetarian capsules especially for nutritional supplements. The vegetarian capsules may be made from modified cellulose, modified starches or other plant materials. Glycerin and other ingredients may be used as processing aids. All such ingredients should be from vegetable or petroleum sources. Halal- or kosher-certified bovine or fish gelatin also may be used. Other incidental ingredients should also be halal- and/or kosher-suitable.

To assure almost universal acceptability, it is recommended that pharmaceutical products, nutritional and dietary food supplements be manufactured by avoiding all traces of animal products, so that the product is acceptable for halal and kosher as well as vegetarian (vegan) standards.

Halal and Kosher (Similarities and Differences)

There are certain similarities and some differences between kosher and halal. In both religions, pork and pork products derived from pigs and swine are prohibited. Also, carnivorous animals and birds (other than poultry) are not allowed as foods in either religion. The permitted animals (i.e., ruminants and poultry) have to be killed by a Jew to make them kosher, and by a Muslim to make them halal. Blood and blood byproducts are not permitted under either set of rules.

Among fish and seafood, only fish with fins and removable scales are kosher, whereas all fish and seafood are halal for most Muslims (as long as the animal lives in water all of the time). However, some Muslim denominations do not accept fish without scales and/or seafood. Consequently, the marketing company needs to be aware of such markets and groups.

Enzymes derived from microbial or biotech (GMO) sources are acceptable as kosher and halal. Enzymes extracted from kosher-killed animals are kosher, and those extracted from halal-killed animals are halal. Enzymes from non-halal-killed animals may be accepted by some groups and countries, but not all. Porcine enzymes are not accepted as either halal or kosher.