Answered by Shaykh Abdurrahman ibn Yusuf Mangera
In regards to halal and haram, what is the ruling when one is uncertain about the ingredients of the food. For example, certain cheeses have enzymes that make them haram. If we do not know what the ingredients are in a particular cheese, is it automatically haram? Another example is bread; certain breads are also haram but if we do not know the ingredients is it better for us to abstain? What does the Shari’a say about uncertainty and food?
In the name of Allah, the Inspirer of truth
Uncertainty in ingredients can be relived by contacting the company in questions. One can email, write, or call the cheese processing plant or the bread company and ask them for the source of their ingredients. Most companies are happy to oblige.
One should abstain from foods that have a possibility of being haram, until this uncertainty can be lifted in some way.
Since ingredients are changing everyday, it is very difficult to provide any absolute answer in terms of which breads or cheeses, etc., are halal at any given time. Muslims are need of organizations that can provide this research on a permanent and regular basis. You can visit http://eat-halal.com which is trying to make some progress in this regard.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalam
Abdurrahman ibn Yusuf
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Wassalam
SunniPath Fiqh Team