E 631 in Lays Chips?
This news is spreading like a wild fire in Pakistan through sms and mails that Lays chips are not halal and it contains E631 code which is a salt of animal origin and obtained from pig fat. This issue as it relates to Islam is sensitive for everyone. When some one tries to research for it and after googling the following result is obtained.
E631 : Sodium inosinate
Origin:
Sodium salt of inosinic acid (E630), a natural acid, that is mainly present in animals.
Commercially prepared from meat or fish (sardines). May also be produced by bacterial fermentation of sugars.
Function & Characteristics:
Flavor enhancer. Inosinic acid and inosinates do not have the specific umami taste but strongly enhance many other flavours, there by reducing the amounts of salt or other flavor enhancers needed in a product.
E631 can be generated in 3 different ways:
1. It can be obtained from sardines (fish).
2. It can be made from brewer yeast extract which is a by-product of beer making process.
3. It can be extracted from pig meat.
If method #1 is used then it is Halal. If method #2 is used then it is not Haram but it is better to avoid it. However if method #3 is used then most certainly it is Haram.
Lays Certificate
Following is the description of E631 taken from Wikipedia, there is no word of pig used, so it is not proved in any where that E631 is pig fat. Other thing is that E631 is used only for “LAYS MASALA” remaining all flavor have no E631 as food code.
“Disodium inosinate (E631), chemical formula C10H11N2Na2O8P, is the disodium salt of inosinic acid. It is a food additive often found in instant noodles, potato chips, and a variety of other snacks. It is used as a flavor enhancer, in synergy with monosodium glutamate (also known as MSG; the sodium salt of glutamic acid) to provide the umami taste.
In the US, consumption of added 5′-ribonucleotides averages 4 mg per day, compared to 2 g per day of naturally occurring purines. A review of literature by an FDA committee found no evidence of carcinogenicity or adverse effects on reproduction.
Lays has kicked off an advertisement campaign on 14th May, 2009 to ensure all the consumers that Lays is 100% Halal. The Jamia Ashrafia, Pakistan has endorsed that Lays produced by Pepsi Pakistan is Halal. Please see the Lays add and the Media Statement.
Source: food info
Also read: E631 in Lays Chips II, Code E631 non lays ingredients list
Hi
well surely this topic is tickling all of us these days as all kept discussing this even in University point. This statement from Pepsi company is a bit of relief. I think in Pakistan its the duty of government to ensure halal food product supply in the market. Nice research.
Thanks
Hi
I ate a lot of these chips but confused after the rumors. can we rely on this certificate?
Well thats good to have this information.
After reading that ad. in newspaper i contacted to Mufti Ma”aaz (0322-4461168) of Jamia Ashrafia – the man who issued this fatwa. he said that Lay’s people told him that thay extract it from plant?? which is not present among the above mentioned ORIGIONS OF E631?
So what do you say??
Regards,
TAHIR JAVED
+92 321 9159669
If Jamia Asrafia issued it a Halal certificate They should have done some kind of research & if They are saying that Lays people told them it is originated from a plant than They are lying because this salt is originated only from Meat either pig or fish Sardines. There is no other alternative. If your info is right than we should avoid the snacks with this code because it is doubted of the origin.
At food info site it has been mentioned that
“Inosinates are generally produced from meat, but partly also from fish. They are thus not suitable for vegans and vegetarians, and in most cases not suitable for Jews, Muslims and Hindus, depending on the origin of the product. Only the producer can provide information on the origin.
Regarding the issue of E631 in Lays products in Pakistan : only Lays can provide the correct information. Chemically the origin can not be distinguished, so only Lays may know, as they know the exact supplier. We are sorry, but we do not have that information”
Here is some research done by the Daily Ummat on this topic – hope it helps to some extent:
http://ummatpublications.com/2009/05/16/story8.html
http://www.ummatpublication.com/2009/05/17/story7.html
Another one about the ‘Pakistan Quality Control Standard Authority’ and what it is doing for the Pakistani public…
I will be updating this story soon.
@ Nimra: Yes dear you can rely on the proofs presented above. Her is more:
The South African National Halaal Authority (SANHA)is committed to standardizing Halaal procedures internationally thereby rendering a credible service to both the consumer and the industry.
SANHA authority has investigated the ingredients used by Lays Pakistan. It has confirmed that the ingredients are Halaal compliant. The authority has explained that the E631 used by Lays Pakistan is derived from Tapioca starch, a plant based raw material which has been certified Halaal.
The Central Islamic Committee of Thailand has verified that Lay’s chips are free of all animal fat. The ingredient E 631 is used as a flavour enhancer and is derived from Tapioca starch and not from pig fat, the committee passed its verdict.
Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research ( PCSIR) has verified that Lay’s is free of all animal meat fat and contains only vegetable fat. The council verifies in its report that the fat extracted from the provided sample contains vegetable fat. No animal fat is used in the product and hence there are no chances of pig fat neither in the ingredient E 631 or any other.
Jamia Ashrafia serves as an authentic source to matters pertaining to Islam, its procedures and results. The Jamia is of the view that if the manufacturers and the concerned authorities have verified that the E-code ingredients included in the product have been extracted from plants and no such animal fat is used, the consumption of the Lay’s product is right and in accordance to Islam.
The proofs presented above are indeed an eye opener. They not only clear the confusion but also remove doubts from the mind of a layman. These proofs however, raise valid questions for all those who advocate the presence of haraam ingredients in Lay’s chips.
How authentic is the report by some Muslim doctor in the West? Is not the authenticity of the report questionable?
How can a single person’s report on this haram ingredient debate become voice of millions and millions of Muslims all over the world?
Does one report by some anonymous individual have more weightage than several proof certificates of registration and verification by Lay’s?
Is the stated research and the arguments presented in favour of presence of pig fat based on truth or is it mere propaganda?
How true is this halaal haraam debate? Is the debater aware of the encoding process and the nature of ingredients? And if yes, can he/she actually prove and counter-attack the several reports presented to prove the ‘guilt-free’ ingredient?
And last but not the least, Lays employs over 1000 people in Pakistan in the fields of agriculture, production and distribution. Besides employment, their various social causes like education and health are also being taken care of.
Will not the circulation of such baseless claims cost these 1000 people their jobs? Can a developing country like ours, already at the verge of bankruptcy with weak economic indicators afford such a mass level of unemployment?
And on what cost? Rumours, falsehood and unauthentic sources?
[...] Also read : E631 in Lays [...]
HI THIS IS MADE FROM PIG FACT N PLS PLS PLS PLS DONT EAT THIS
Hi Amna
Plz Elaborate your views and visit our other post about lays also.
Regards
@AAMNA: OK so you have given your verdict. But it is not a very good job indeed. If you can advocate such strongly (what with the intense language and caps lock) I wish you could have come forward with more sensible and mature reasons to support your view (yes it can be a view only not truth).
I would suggest that you elaborate please on your view point and leave the rest for the readers of this blog to read and understand for themselves.
Here is a revision of what I have said in my preiosu post which now has become voice of several sensible Muslims and Pakistanis all over. E631is derived from tapioca starch extracted from a plant called cassava. It is NOT, in any case derived from animal meat fat lest pig fat.
Lay’s chips use it as a flavour enhancer. Lay’s assure their consumers and customers that Lay’s Snacks Pakistan uses only 100% halal ingredients in all its food products. Therefore, the chips has no doubtful ingredients (for a revision of what the company says please read my above post on the verifications and proofs provided by lay’s).
If you need any further information, please feel free to contact. But my suggestion to you is: for once try to be reasonable.
Good luck!
Hi,
Do visit the next post about the issue to get updates.
http://www.pakfactor.com/lays-chips-and-pig-fat-mystery-solved.html
Thanks
THEY HAVE PIG FAT AND I TAKE AN OATH NOT TO EAT THEM BECAUSE I HAVE TO ANSWER ALLAH
Hi Aqsa
Do read other post about lays also
i also vry muuch confused after rumors!!!!!
but this research is little more relaxing!!!!
[...] Here are some of the certificates for your view and clarification. Related posts: E631 in Lays chips? Lays chips and pig fat mystery [...]
On http://www.food-info.net/uk/e/e631.htm I’m bit confused about conflicting statements:
Origin:
Sodium salt of inosinic acid (E630), a natural acid, that is mainly present in animals. Commercially prepared from meat or fish (sardines). May also be produced by bacterial fermentation of sugars.
but at the end, they are copying the statement from Lays Pakistan:
The inosinate is made from tapioca starch and no animal products are involved in the production.
This issue is well addressed by the Lays officials and they have turned the media in favor of them by campaigning effectively and showing certificates. Do read other two posts about Lays.
Please read my opinion from
http://kashifiat.wordpress.com/2009/06/18/the-reality-of-lays-chips-controversy/
In response to the above mentioned link which Kashifiat, to start with, I find him very confused.
In point 5 of his argument, he says and thus doubts Jamia Ashrafia’s verification that Lay’s is halal and uses 100% halal ingredients and that that they are refuting to it. Then in point 6, he is again raising a point about the need of some local authority to have passed this fatwa about presence of halal ingredients in Lay’s chips.
A prestigious local authority Jamia Ashrafia, which is a premier seat of Islamic learning in Pakistan, affiliated with the Pakistan Wafaaq ul Madaaris, a Board of Islamic Education for over 7,000 Madaris-e-Islamiyya in Pakistan and serving as an authentic source to matters pertaining to Islam, its procedures and results’ verifications seem not to satisfy him and he thus doubt its very fabric. And on the other hand, where Lay’s has given a wide variety of proofs to check from, including both local and international prestigious Islamic institution kashif again seem to complain. I quote his own words:
“Jamia Ashrafia is also refuting from issuing the certificate of Halal products to Lay’s. According to them “A Conditional Certificate had been issued that “If there is no Pig Particle added in the products, then it is Halal otherwise it is Haram and according to Jamia Ashrafia, “Lay’s Company is misusing that conditional certificate. “
“Company is also giving the reference of “The South African National Halaal Authority (SANHA)”. I am really surprised why Pepsi is not giving any reference of local authority.”
Could he please explain what exactly is he wanting to convey here? Are not his statements conflicting each other?
Another point I would like to raise here is that when you come up with a generic debate and want to reproduce the facts and details kindly provide us with first hand information in this regard instead of putting it all on others’ shoulders. For example he has many a times used “According to…” which actually kills the essence of debate he is trying to put forward. Examples are:
4) According to daily Ummat IFF etc.
If several proofs and authentic sources cannot prove to him the halal status of Lay’s chips, how can he expect his readers to trust his mentioned sources whose own standings are controversial in the media industry?
AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THIS RUMOR SO I PERSONNALLY CONDUCTED A RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT THEY ARE STILL USING E631 SALT THAT IS COME FROM FIG FAT THAT IS TOTALLY TABOO IN OUR RELIGION .
FURTHER I WIL BE UPDATED SOON. FROM MAJU KARACHI
[...] been facing the prevalent and incensed crisis ever struck a food product in Pakistan. The issue of using E631 flavor enhancer and pig fat has really declined the sales and image of Lays. It has become a [...]
Its
like this
fatwa if it has pig sodium extract its not halal
fatwa if it has fish sodium extract its halal.
but if they lie that the extracts are from plants again a lie don’t trust them because its can only extracted from meat on any animal.
who to believe ( any organization truly working in since and Technology that can visit see there process for Muslims customers and verify that they are truly adding sodium extract from a fish contact there supplier and confirm its implementation)
Pakistani are croup t peoples they can seal them self for some money don’t trust Muslims unless they are true followers
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