Fatwa #4117514 October 2018Australia
What is the ruling of a small amount of alcohol in food products?
Question
Assalamualaykum Mufti Sahab,
Can you please tell me if ingrediants like 'Natural colouring', 'Natural Flavouring' and 'Flavouring' which has very minimal amount of alcohol in it is halal? Shafi'i scholars say that it is Halal because many food products in the West include these ingredients to it it tough to avoid and the amount of alcohol in these ingredients is so little that it has no effect and intoxication on the body. Can you please give the viewpoint from the Hanafi madhaab?
Jazak'Allah
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
Minimal amounts of alcohol used in food products will be permissible to consume on condition that the alcohol is not sourced from grapes or dates.
You may refer to Fatwa #31176 for a detailed answer.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.