Are Goldfish Crackers Halal? Cheese Enzymes Explained

Goldfish are baked crackers made by Pepperidge Farm, part of The Campbell's Company. The classic Cheddar Goldfish list: enriched wheat flour, cheddar cheese (cultured milk, salt, enzymes, and annatto), vegetable oil, salt, and smaller amounts of yeast, sugar, autolyzed yeast extract, paprika, spices, celery, onion powder and baking soda ^[1]. The pack says it contains wheat and milk ^[1].

There is no gelatin, no meat and no lard on the list ^[1]. Goldfish also say the Cheddar crackers have no artificial colors or flavors ^[1]; the orange color comes from annatto and paprika.

The one ingredient that raises a halal question is the enzymes inside the cheddar.

Cheese is made by adding enzymes to milk so it sets into curds. Traditionally, that enzyme was rennet from the stomach of a calf. Today, many cheesemakers use microbial or fermentation-produced enzymes instead.

The Goldfish label simply says "enzymes" and doesn't say which kind ^[1]. The Canadian foodservice listing from Campbell's uses the same wording ^[2]. The Goldfish FAQ page does not address enzymes or halal status either ^[3].

Scholars differ on cheese made with animal rennet:

• Some accept it even when the calf was not slaughtered Islamically, because rennet is a small, transformed ingredient.
• Others only accept rennet from halal-slaughtered animals, or microbial rennet.

Our rennet and enzymes pages explain these views. If you're unsure, ask a scholar you trust.

We found no halal claim on the official Goldfish product page or FAQ ^[1][3], and no certification on the Campbell's foodservice listing ^[2]. So Goldfish are best described as not certified.

If you want a firm answer on the enzymes, call Goldfish on the number on the pack or the website and ask whether the enzymes in the cheddar are microbial or animal-derived ^[3]. Ask about the flavor you buy, since products can use different cheese suppliers.

Other Goldfish flavors, such as Flavor Blasted, Pretzel and Grahams, have their own ingredient lists. Read each one before you buy it.

A simple checklist for any Goldfish bag:

1. Find the cheese line. If the list includes cheese made with enzymes, the enzyme question applies.
2. Look for whey, butter or other dairy. These are generally fine, but whey comes from cheesemaking, so some people also ask about its enzymes.
3. Check the flavors. Natural flavors don't say whether alcohol was used as a carrier. See alcohol (ethanol).
4. Look for a logo. Only a halal logo with a named certifier means the product is certified.

Cheese-flavored snacks often raise the same enzyme question. Compare our pages on Cheez-It, Cheetos and Doritos. For the cheese itself, see cheddar cheese and our guide to cheese.