My doctor has advised me to eat Quorn foods which containts Mycoprotein. Is this ingredient Ḥalāl?
بسم الله الرحمن الرحیم
Answer
Mycoprotein is Ḥalāl. The following describes how Mycoprotein is made:
“Mycoprotein is the ingredient common to all Quorn products. It’s a completely meat-free form of high quality protein and is also a good source of dietary fibre. It is low in fat and saturates and contains no cholesterol or trans fats at all. Mycoprotein is made in fermenters similar to those found in a brewery. It’s made by adding oxygen, nitrogen, glucose and minerals to a fungus called Fusarium venenatum. These ingredients combine in the fermenter to form a continuous supply of Mycoprotein which is harvested and dried before egg albumen is added to help with binding.” (Source: http://www.mycoprotein.org)
Therefore, so long as the other ingredients of the specific Quorn product are Ḥalāl, it shall be Ḥalāl. It is our understanding that Quorn products in the UK are all vegetarian; however, some products contain alcohol. The Quorn website states:
“Quorn Foods have certain products that are Halal approved. This is so that they can be sold to catering establishments, hospitals, schools and colleges where this approval is required. As Quorn is a meat free brand, the assessment has nothing to do with the treatment of animals, but rather, it is to ensure there is no alcohol used in either the products or the process of manufacture.” (Source: www.quorn.co.uk/faqs)
In conclusion, Quorn products are Ḥalāl as long as they do not contain alcohol.
Allah knows best
Yusuf Shabbir
30 Muḥarram 1439 / 20 October 2017
Approved by: Mufti Shabbir Ahmad and Mufti Muhammad Tahir