What is the ruling regarding essences in food? If they contain alcohol will they be permissible?
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
If a food item contains an essence that has alcohol in it, it will be permissible to consume the food item provided that the alcohol in the essence is not made from dates or grapes. If the alcohol in the essence is made from date or grapes, it will not be permissible to consume the food item. (See: Ahsanul Fatawa: 8/486)
And Allah knows best.
Mufti Faizal Riza
27/11/2011