Question:
I would like to know if muslims can eat pizza at restaurants (veggi only) because what is my concern is that it is being baked in the same oven as others, sometimes it is being handled and cut with the same cutter because we have seen it ourselves but still we have a lot of our known alims saying that it is halaal if it is veggi! Someone read in one newsletter from Darul Uloom that there is something in the dough mix that is not good, please let me know in detail what is right!
Answer:
A veggie pizza is normally made with vegetables and contains no doubtful ingredients.
However the concerns you have mentioned are valid and must be considered before one can partake from such restaurants.
As mentioned by your good self, there is a possibility of food contamination which exists in many of these outlets based on the manner in which they handle their food preparation. Although there is a special cutter assigned for veggie pizzas, it may happen that the meat pizza cutter can be used at times. This also creates doubt especially when most of those who are working at such outlets are not Muslims and are not fully educated and deeply concerned about Halaal and Haraam in Islam.
As far as the dough mix is concerned, there is a dough conditioner which contains an unlawful substance and is used in many bakery products and pizza doughs. However, it should be noted that there are many types/brands of dough conditioner which are all permissible for use since they are free from unlawful/doubtful substances. Most of our bakeries do not use the dough conditioner.
Based on our investigation until present, we have seen that dough conditioners are not widely used locally and those outlets that may use them, are using those which are free from doubts, such as Kiss Baking Company and Subway.
Until this time, we have not been able to look into the famous pizza restaurants in our country.
And Allah knows best.
Mufti Waseem Khan