Many people are worried about their breakfast in Japan, because there are not so many eateries that offer Halal or Muslim-friendly options for breakfast. It is required for Muslims to find something suitable at convenience store, and they will probably believe that Yoghurt can never be haram.
We are very sorry to inform you, but this is not correct! How can it be haram? Today, we are going to focus on Japanese yoghurt for you to find a suitable one.
Yogurt is usually made from very simple ingredients: Fresh milk, sugar and lactic acid bacteria. Some of them may contain honey, fruit compote and so on, but these are not what makes yogurt haram.
In Japan, what makes yogurt haram is Gelatin, an ingredient that solidifies liquid. This ingredients are generally made from animal, especially from pig. Some of them are made from fish, but we can never tell the source unless we ask the manufacturer.
By adding gelatin, the texture of the yogurt becomes better and smoother. Some of the manufacturers put gelatin to make it more like a “dessert” than a yogurt.
Especially nowadays, Yogurt with oozy texture is highly appreciated in Japan. To give them this texture, more and more companies are adding gelatin.
So, how can we choose a Halal Yogurt?
As is often the case with Japanese products, it is extremely important to check on the label and manufacturer, but the following items have no gelatin and made from only fresh ingredients.
Bulgaria (ブルガリア)
One of the most famous brand is free from animal-derived ingredients.
There is some discussion if this brand can be Halal or not, but from our observation, this brand is safe for Muslims. Even some middle east airlines that follow the strictest Halal regulations offer this brand on their airplane.
This brand from Morinaga is made from very simple ingredients: only Milk and lactic acid bacteria! Their strength is that they have added a kind of bacterium found in our body, to promote better excretion.
If you are looking for a sour but healthy yogurt, then this is the one.
Credit: https://bifidus.jp/products/
Megumi (恵)
This series is from Yukijirushi, one of the biggest diary companies in Japan. They have two types of bacteria in this yogurt, and works perfect if your stomach needs to be back on the right track. It is even approved by Japanese ConsumersAffairs Agency.
Unlike above selections, this yogurt is in a small package. The product also has a different texture because this yogurt contains agar, a plant that solidifies liquid.
The product has a small flavoring which could have been extracted from alcohol, but apart from this ingredients are all Halal. This is a perfect choice if you are looking for a individually packed items.
Any yogurt confirmed not Halal?
The following Yogurt contains Gelatin as of December 2023. Please be noted that the ingredients can be changed without prior notice, or the ingredients can be derived from Halal ingredients.
Bifix (ビフィックス)
glico is a snack company, but they also have yogurt. Their snack has so many Muslim-friendly choices, but for their yogurt this is not the case. It contains Gelatin.
Choose your yogurt carefully!
The fact that even Yogurt can contain animal-derived ingredients may have surprised you. Yes, we have so many yogurt products without haram ingredients, but as we are a country whose majority is not Muslim, Muslims coming to Japan should be cautious about the ingredients.
Also, please be reminded that we only took a look at PLAIN flavor, and not these flavored yogurts. Please check on the labels and manufacturer before consuming.
