Rumour debunked: Your favourite potato snacks are 100% halal

E631 food additive used in the product is derived from plant extract of tapioca starch

Lays chips have often faced controversial scrutiny over the ingredients they use to manufacture their scrumptious crisps. Produced in Pakistan with the best quality potatoes, Lays chips are also sold in other Muslim countries such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt, UAE and Malaysia.

Lays Snacks Pakistan, as a responsible brand, strictly adheres to local food laws, which includes only using halal certified ingredients in all their products. Recently, the social media went into a frenzy claiming that some ingredients used in the production of the brand's products, particularly E631 is ‘haram’. Since the rumour has no proper evidence to back up the claims, we decided to dig up more information about this. Here’s what we found:

While the best practice is to have the know-how of the origins of all ingredients used, yet, at the same time, it is also imperative to comprehend that few ingredients can be extracted from both, halal and non-halal sources. A gluten-free soy sauce brand based in the UK, Kikkoman Tamari, faced backlash when it was revealed by news outlets of the UAE that their soy sauce is infused with alcohol and the sweet and sour condiment contained carmine, both of which are non-halal ingredients. The brand quickly reassembled their ingredients to suit the Muslim community, given their commitment to mend their relationship with Muslims. After this incident, it is safe to say that their exclusive gluten free variant is halal certified.

In a similar manner, E631, also known as Disodium Inosinate is used as a flavour enhancer by myriad foods-industries. However, one of the ways to obtain this additive is through the non-alcoholic fermentation of sugar or sugar cane. This clearly means that Pakistani’s who were shocked and devastated by WhatsApp and Facebook forwarded posts claiming that our beloved Lays are haram, simply need to calm down and enjoy their mouthwatering potato snack in peace.

Lays Pakistan has clarified that the E631 used in local production, is in fact derived from plant extract of tapioca starch, making it 100% halal certified. To ensure the best quality and safe products, all raw materials and plants where some of your ultimate flavourful munching crisps are manufactured are subjected to strict quality controls. The sleek designed packaging from the outside contains delectable and hygienic natural potato chips inside.

To further confirm this, you can find out more details at SANHA, which is Pakistan’s official halal food certification agency.