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Is Kraft Mac and Cheese Halal?

Short answer Depends

Kraft Mac and Cheese is not halal certified, and the answer depends on the enzymes in its cheese sauce. The US Original box lists cheese cultures and enzymes without naming their source [1]. A Canadian halal review says Kraft consumer care told it the Kraft Dinner cheese enzymes come from calf, kid and lamb as well as microbes [2]. If you're unsure, ask a scholar you trust.

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Halal status by country

CountryStatusDetailsSource
United States Not certified No halal claim. The Original Mac & Cheese Dinner has no meat or gelatin, but the cheese sauce mix lists enzymes of unstated source. [1]
Canada Not halal AskHalal.ca (IlmHub) rated Kraft Dinner Original haram in 2021 after Kraft consumer care said its cheese enzymes come from animal (calf, kid, lamb) and microbial sources. [2]
ItemStatusNoteSource
Kraft Original Mac & Cheese Dinner (US) Depends Pasta plus a cheese sauce mix of whey, milkfat, milk protein, buttermilk, cheese cultures and enzymes. No meat or gelatin listed. Enzyme source not stated. [1]

What the schools of thought say

SchoolViewSource
Strict view (many Hanafi and other scholars, and IlmHub's review) If a cheese may use enzymes from animals that were not slaughtered Islamically, avoid it unless the source is confirmed or the product is certified. [2]
Lenient view (e.g. a Ja'fari Q&A service) When a label lists enzymes without a source and you are not certain they are animal-derived, there is no objection to eating the product. [3]

What's in Kraft Mac and Cheese

The US Kraft Original Mac & Cheese Dinner has two parts. The pasta is enriched wheat and durum flour with added vitamins and iron. The cheese sauce mix is mostly whey, milkfat, salt, milk protein concentrate and nonfat dry milk. It also has small amounts of buttermilk, phosphates, tapioca flour, citric and lactic acid, paprika, turmeric and annatto for color, cheese cultures and enzymes [1].

There is no meat, gelatin or alcohol on the list [1]. The halal question comes down to one word: enzymes.

Why the enzymes matter

Cheese is made by adding enzymes to milk so it sets into curds. These enzymes, often called rennet, can come from three places:

  • Animal rennet, taken from the stomachs of young calves, goats or lambs.
  • Microbial enzymes, made by fungi or bacteria.
  • Fermentation-produced chymosin, made by microbes.

Microbial enzymes are widely accepted as halal. Animal rennet from a halal animal that was not slaughtered Islamically is debated. The Kraft box does not say which type it uses [1].

In 2021, the Canadian halal review site AskHalal.ca, run by IlmHub, contacted Kraft about Kraft Dinner Original. It reports that consumer care said the cheese enzymes come from both animal sources (calf, kid and lamb) and microbial sources, and it rated the product haram [2]. See is rennet halal? and are enzymes halal? for more.

Different views on unlabeled enzymes

Scholars do not all treat unlabeled enzymes the same way.

Some scholars and halal reviewers, including the IlmHub review, avoid cheese products when the company confirms that any of its enzymes come from animals not slaughtered Islamically [2]. Other scholars accept animal rennet from a halal species even without zabiha slaughter.

A Ja'fari Q&A service takes a lenient line when the source is unknown. It says that if you are not certain an enzyme comes from an animal, there is no objection to eating the product [3]. Note that this differs from cases where the company has said animal enzymes are used.

We present these views without choosing between them.

Halal options for mac and cheese

If you want mac and cheese without the enzyme question, you have a few choices:

  • Halal-certified boxed mac and cheese. Some brands carry a certifier's logo. Check the box.
  • Kraft's plant-based mac and cheese. Kraft sells a plant-based Original Flavor version [1]. Check its label for flavors and other ingredients.
  • Homemade. Use pasta and a cheese labeled halal, or one made with microbial enzymes. See is cheese halal? and is cheddar cheese halal?.

Recipes change and can differ between the US box and Kraft Dinner in Canada. Check the current label on the box you buy.

Frequently asked questions

Does Kraft Mac and Cheese have pork?

No pork, meat or gelatin is listed on the US Original box [1]. The question is the cheese enzymes, which can come from animals. Kraft does not name their source on the label.

Is Kraft Dinner halal in Canada?

AskHalal.ca, run by IlmHub, rated Kraft Dinner Original haram in 2021. It says Kraft consumer care reported the cheese enzymes come from calf, kid and lamb as well as microbial sources [2].

Is Kraft Mac and Cheese halal certified?

No. The US product page makes no halal claim [1], and we found no halal certification for Kraft Mac and Cheese in the US or Canada.

Is Kraft mac and cheese vegetarian?

It has no meat or gelatin on the label [1], but the enzymes may include animal rennet [2]. Strict vegetarians who avoid animal rennet may also avoid it.

Sources

  1. KRAFT Original Mac & Cheese Macaroni and Cheese Dinner · Kraft Heinz · accessed
  2. Kraft Dinner Original Macaroni & Cheese · AskHalal.ca (IlmHub Department of Halal Ingredients and Products Research) · accessed
  3. If a food product lists enzyme as an ingredient without specifying whether it is plant, microbial or animal · I.M.A.M. Islamic Q&A · accessed