If you are a snack lover, you must have heard about Takis. These crisps have taken the world by storm with their unique flavor and texture that leave your taste buds craving for more. However, when it comes to food, it is crucial to know what goes into making it. For Muslims, Halal is an essential consideration, and people often have queries about the ingredients used in Takis. In this article, we will unveil the truth about Takis and their ingredients to clear all your doubts about whether Takis are Halal or not.
What are Takis?
Takis are a type of corn snack that originated in Mexico. These snacks come in a twisted shape and are coated with spicy and tangy flavors. The makers of Takis, Barcel USA, claim that the corn they use to make the snack is Non-GMO verified. Takis come in various flavors like cheese, chili pepper, and lime, among others.
What Is Halal?
Before we dive into the ingredient-list of Takis, let’s understand what Halal means. For Muslims, Halal is the dietary law governing the consumption of food and drinks that need to be permissible according to Islamic law.
For any food to be regarded as Halal, it should meet certain criteria. First, the food should not contain any pork or pork byproducts. Second, the animal used in the food should be slaughtered in a specific way (zabiha) as mentioned in the Islamic law. Third, the food should not contain any alcohol or intoxicating substance, and lastly, the food should be free from any cross-contamination with non-Halal substances.
Are Takis Halal?
The answer to this question is not very straightforward. Takis do not contain any pork or pork byproducts, so they are safe to consume from that perspective. However, when it comes to the slaughter of the animal used in Takis, there is no clarity from the manufacturers.
Since Takis are made in the US and not in a Muslim majority country, the slaughtering method of the animals used in the snacks is not mentioned on the Takis packaging. This lack of information creates doubts in the minds of consumers and leaves them questioning the Halal status of Takis.
Let’s Unveil the Truth: Ingredients in Takis
Here we have listed the ingredients used in Takis and their possible relationship with Halal compliance.
Corn Masa Flour
Corn Masa Flour is the primary ingredient used in Takis. It is considered permissible for Muslims unless it is contaminated with non-Halal ingredients, which is highly unlikely. However, we cannot be 100 percent sure unless verified by a reliable Halal certification body.
Vegetable Oil
Veggie Oil used in Takis could be a mix of different oils or a separate vegetable oil. In the US, vegetable oils are extracted from soybean or corn, which are most likely Halal. If the vegetable oil used in Takis is made from non-Halal animal sources like pork, it goes against the Halal criteria.
Artificial and Natural Flavors
Takis’s unique taste is because of the flavorful coating they are coated with. Some Takis flavors may contain alcohol as a solvent in their artificial and natural flavors. But, as per the Islamic law, consuming alcohol, even in small amounts, is not permissible. So, if the flavor contains alcohol, it would not be considered Halal. However, since we do not have the exact details of the flavoring used in Takis, we cannot be sure about its Halal status.
Seasoning Blends
Takis include various seasoning blends that add different flavors to the snack. Likewise, the seasoning blends used are not mentioned in detail. We cannot guarantee the absence of any non-Halal ingredients in the seasoning provided there are no Halal certificates for the blend.
Colorings
Colors are added to give the food its unique appearance. Most colors are synthetic, and their Halal status depends on their origin. We can’t verify if the colors used in Takis are Halal or not because we don’t have the full information about the dye source.
Halal Certification of Takis
The absence of Halal certification makes Takis non-Halal. To be Halal compliant, Takis must be prepared and processed following the guidelines specified by a reliable Halal certification body like the Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America (IFANCA). Hence, Takis are not Halal by default.
Conclusion
In summary, we can say that the Halal status of Takis is still uncertain. Although the food does not contain any pork, the absence of clear information on how the animal used in it is slaughtered and the possibility of non-Halal ingredients in its flavoring and seasoning makes it unsuitable for Muslim consumption.
The Most Common Questions and their Answers
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions and their answers related to the topic ‘Is Takis Halal?’
- What is Takis made of?
- Are Takis vegetarian?
- Are there any Halal certified Takis available?
- Is Takis suitable for people with food allergies?
- What are the animal sources used in Takis?
- Is alcohol used in the Takis flavoring?
Takis are made of corn masa flour, vegetable oil, artificial and natural flavors, seasoning blends, and colorings.
Takis are vegan, but their Halal issues still remain unresolved.
No, there are no Halal certified Takis available on the market.
Takis could be a risk to people with food allergens. Although Takis do not contain wheat, they may come in contact with wheat during the production process.
We cannot be certain about the animal sources used in Takis since there is no clarity on how they are slaughtered.
We cannot confirm if alcohol is used in Takis flavorings since there are no detailed specifications.
References
- Corn Flour Vs. Masa Flour: What’s The Difference? (2021, June 9). Retrieved July 26, 2021,
- Halal for all: How to tap into the growing Muslim consumer market. (2019, September 27). Retrieved July 26, 2021,