Muslims shocked to learn that crisps contain alcohol

**'Abd-al Latif** · 02-23-2008

Senior Muslim figures have said that they are shocked that a number of Walkers snacks contain traces of alcohol and eating them is therefore against their religion.

A tiny amount of alcohol is used in some products as a chemical agent to extract flavour.

The use of alcohol was discovered by Besharat Rehman, who owns a halal supermarket in Bradford, and reported in the Eastern Eye. Mr Rehman said: “Our suppliers were unaware of the alcohol. Walkers must make it clear on the packaging so customers can make an informed choice.”

Shuja Shafi, who chairs the food standards committee of the Muslim Council of Britain, said that he intended to investigate. “Certainly we would find it very offensive to have eaten food with alcohol.”

Masood Khawaja, of the Halal Food Authority, said that it had raised labelling issues and alcohol flavouring with Walkers before. “They should have looked into the matter and solved it instead of hiding behind labelling regulations. It does not matter what percentage of alcohol is involved.”

However, a Walkers consumer care team representative was unapologetic. She said: “There is not enough room on the packaging to list things beyond allergy-causing ingredients that can make people ill. A minimal amount of alcohol is used to extract the flavour of some crisps.”

Snacks that are likely to be boycotted by Muslims are Sensations Thai Sweet Chilli, Doritos Chilli Heat Wave and Quavers Cheese

taken from here

**S_87** · 02-23-2008

all three of them crisps are yum!

**------** · 02-23-2008

Doritos Chilli Heat Wave

WAT THE!?

NO!!

**Trumble** · 02-23-2008

I wonder if the same "senior muslims" would be just as "shocked" to learn that many fruits contain traces of alcohol as well - perfectly naturally?

Surely the whole point of the Qur'anic prohibition on alcohol is its intoxicating effects and consequent undesirable effect on human behaviour, not to stop consumption of everyday foods that contain tiny traces of the stuff?

**Muezzin** · 02-25-2008

Crisps are bad for you anyway.

I do wonder about that comment about being 'offended' to have eaten such things... I wouldn't be offended, I'd just be sort of embarassed at my own silliness.

**sur** · 02-25-2008

i heard even Coke contains alcohol. !!!!

Companies might add alc. to many other drinks without mentioning it in "Ingridients", to make ppl adicted so that ppl would crave for buying such products.

**KAding** · 02-25-2008

Originally Posted by sur

i heard even Coke contains alcohol. !!!!

Companies might add alc. to many other drinks without mentioning it in "Ingridients", to make ppl adicted so that ppl would crave for buying such products.

I heard thats not true. !!!!

There that's settled

.

**Muezzin** · 02-25-2008

Isn't it funny how all these products tend to be junk food...

It's not really good for us in the first place, so why are we getting up in arms about it? Heck, bread contains trace alcohol (it's a byproduct of the process of... bread-baking), but nobody is getting angry about that. Also, nobody is declaring bread haram, because it's just a trace of alcohol, and you'd probably have to bread-binge for eight years before getting a little tipsy.

Ker-raaazy.

**Malaikah** · 02-25-2008

I just wanted to clarify - as long as the level of alcohol in the crisps is so low that you can pretty much never get drunk from it, even if you eat to your hears content, it is permissible to actually eat!

Really, what is the point of this story? Muslims are not boycotting these foods, they are just not eating them. You might as well say vegetarians are boycotting hamburgers, or obese people are boycotting salad.

I really liked the above comment on the article (from the website). lol, nice to know that not all ppl who bother to post their views on news articles aren't ignorant.

**Noora** · 02-25-2008

Good point mailakah..I dont think its permissable because you need to have it in huge consumption to get tipsy..As far as i know its forbidden period...if that was true then people can say well if i have a glass of wine once a day and i dont get tipsy its ok....
If it has any traces no matter how small..its best to avoid it...And yes they are not good for you anyway....so really its a bonus.....

**chacha_jalebi** · 02-25-2008

^ i understand that point

but for meee alcohol is alcohol!!!

so i would just give it up and the only crisps that is oooo yeh on that list is quavers, that doritos crisps stinks!

so hah not much of a effect

see £1 chicken & chips for life

**Malaikah** · 02-26-2008

You don't have the avoid the chips, they are halal!

I'm not making this up, I've heard it from many, many shaykhs. (Not about these specific chips, obviously).

**snakelegs** · 02-26-2008

Originally Posted by Malaikah

I just wanted to clarify - as long as the level of alcohol in the crisps is so low that you can pretty much never get drunk from it, even if you eat to your hears content, it is permissible to actually eat!

is this true? i drink non-alcoholic beer, which contains a small amount of alcohol. you couldn't possibly manage to drink enough of it to feel any intoxication. would this be permissable for muslims?

the other question i have is doesn't alcohol evaporate when heated (which i would think it would be, in the crisps process. (i don't really know what crisps are, lol)

**MEHNAZY** · 02-26-2008

I have to think, with all the food-stuffs in production, many contain some form of alcohol, added or formed naturally. And as someone else has mentioned, many fruits produce their own alcohol naturally.

**Malaikah** · 02-26-2008

Originally Posted by snakelegs

is this true? i drink non-alcoholic beer, which contains a small amount of alcohol. you couldn't possibly manage to drink enough of it to feel any intoxication. would this be permissable for muslims?

It is permissible provided that the amount of alcohol let in it is insignificant - i.e. not enough to make you drunk no matter how much you drink.

However it isn't something that would be your first preference.

**snakelegs** · 02-26-2008

Originally Posted by Malaikah

It is permissible provided that the amount of alcohol let in it is insignificant - i.e. not enough to make you drunk no matter how much you drink.

However it isn't something that would be your first preference.

thanks! actually, this is what i thought.
but i think there is a lot of misunderstanding among musims about this.
as for first preference, i am lucky to prefer water over anything. but i like the non-alcoholic beer once in a while (i hate soda pop).

**crayon** · 02-26-2008

Non Alchoholic beer is quite fine, I'm sure, it's really popular here, and it's allowed to be sold in stores.

edit- non alcoholic beer is the same as a malt beverage, right? According to wikipedia, talking about malt beverages, "A non-alcoholic beverage brewed in this fashion is technically identical to "non-alcoholic beer." Such a beverage may be prepared by either removing alcohol from the finished product or by using a slightly altered brewing process which yields very little alcohol (technically less than 0.5% by weight)."

So I guess they remove the alcohol at the end of the process.

**------** · 02-26-2008

I just wanted to clarify - as long as the level of alcohol in the crisps is so low that you can pretty much never get drunk from it, even if you eat to your hears content, it is permissible to actually eat!

Alcohol is still alcohol no matter in what quantity! What is wrong with you people?!

That's like saying I'll have bit of pork, doesn't matter it's only a bite.

ITS HARAAM!!!

**Malaikah** · 02-26-2008

It's not like that at all sister - it would be haram if a person were drinking actual alcohol - but he/she isn't, he is eating chips that has a tiny bit of alcohol in it, the percentage of which is so low that if can NEVER intoxicate him/her.

Remember the hadith - that which intoxicates in large amounts is forbidden in small amounts.

If the crisps do not intoxicate in large amount (and I don't think they do), then they are not haram in small amounts.

InshaAllah I'll see if I can find an article that explains it properly.