Over the past two years, plant-based food consumption has grown by 49% across the EU, reaching a total sales volume of €3.6 billion.
Halal regulations for whey products
2025-05-15
Muslims have a clear understanding of what is and isn't halal food. They must practice what is lawful and avoid what is haram. Those who are unclear about what is lawful and haram should avoid it. For Muslims, whey powder itself is lawful, but if other powdered ingredients are haram, it is not halal. Whey is a natural byproduct of cheese production in dairy industries. Whey powder is obtained by drying the whey directly. Sweet whey powder is primarily used in the food industry, particularly in baking, pastry making, and dairy products. Whey protein powder is 100% whey, with no other ingredients unless hidden ingredients are added to the milk before the whey powder is produced.
Legal Whey Standards
An average Muslim cannot tell if there are any haram ingredients in whey; if the whey is certified Halal or Kosher in accordance with Halal requirements, or is suitable for vegetarians, it is lawful.
There is also an acid whey, which has three hidden elements:
1. Starter culture bacteria: It must be obtained from milk sources. If it is obtained from meat sources, then it is not Halal.
2. Made from one or more of milk, skimmed milk powder, whey, lactose, autolyzed yeast extract, dextrin, glucose, pancreatin, and phosphates. Any of these ingredients is considered Halal.
3. Rennet: Only microbial rennet can be certified as halal if it is not animal-based, such as pork or zabiha beef. Italian cheeses typically use animal rennet.
Whey powder has a wide range of powerful health benefits, including reducing tumor incidence, beneficially lowering high blood pressure, lowering bad cholesterol levels, fighting bacteria, modulating the immune system, and regulating intestinal iron absorption. We encourage businesses to learn more about Halal certification to lay a solid foundation for entering the Halal market.