Are mooncakes halal? What Muslims should look out for
| Sections: A pastry that symbolises togetherness | Halal mooncakes: What determines their status? | How can you check if a mooncake is halal? | Choosing what is halal and tayyib |
In brief:
Whether a mooncake is halal depends on its ingredients and how it is prepared.
✓ Look for recognised halal certification
✓ Check for lard and other animal-derived ingredients
✓ Look out for flavourings or ingredients with unclear sources
✓ If you are unsure: Check, Ask and Decide.
This article has been vetted by an ARS-recognised asatizah.
A pastry that symbolises togetherness
As the Mid-Autumn Festival approaches, colourful mooncakes can be found across Singapore, marking the arrival of one of the season's most cherished traditions.
More than just a festive delicacy, mooncakes hold deep cultural significance in Chinese tradition. Their round shape is associated with the full moon and represents reunion, harmony and family togetherness. They are often enjoyed with loved ones or exchanged as gifts to express gratitude, appreciation and well wishes.
For Muslims, receiving mooncakes from friends, neighbours or colleagues during the festive season may be a familiar experience. Understanding the significance behind mooncakes can help us appreciate the traditions of those around us, while making informed choices about what we consume.
Halal mooncakes: What determines their status?
Like other food products, the halal status of mooncakes depends on the ingredients and how they are prepared. Two main parts are worth looking at: the pastry skin and the filling.
a.The pastry skin
Traditional baked mooncakes are commonly made from flour, golden syrup, alkaline water and vegetable oil.
However, some traditional Teochew and Suzhou-style flaky mooncakes may use lard, which is not halal, to achieve their distinctive light and flaky texture. Many manufacturers today may instead use vegetable shortening or vegetable oil, but recipes vary from one brand to another. For this reason, it is always advisable to check the ingredients list, and where available, look for halal logo or certification before making a purchase.
Snow skin mooncakes, on the other hand, are usually made with glutinous rice flour, giving them their signature soft and chewy texture. However, the ingredients used in the skin and filling can still vary between manufacturers, so the same checks apply.
b. The filling
Mooncake fillings come in many varieties, including:
• Lotus seed paste
• Red bean paste
• Black sesame
• Mixed nuts
• Salted egg yolk
While these ingredients may generally be halal, mooncakes can also contain other ingredients that require closer attention. These may include animal-derived ingredients, meat-based fillings, certain flavourings or extracts produced using alcohol as a processing aid.
As recipes and manufacturing processes differ, the ingredient list alone may not always provide a complete picture of a product’s halal status. If the source of an ingredient is unclear, seek clarification from the manufacturer.
How can you check if a mooncake is halal?
One of the easiest ways to have assurance about a product’s halal status is to look for a halal logo or certification. In Singapore, the MUIS Halal Certification Mark provides assurance that the product has been assessed according to MUIS’s halal certification requirements.
If a product is not halal-certified, there are still a few simple steps we can take:
Check the ingredient list, paying close attention to ingredients that may be animal-derived, as well as flavourings whose halal status may be unclear.
• Ask the manufacturer if you are unsure about the source or preparation of an ingredient.
• Decide whether to consume the product based on the information you have gathered.
A simple way to remember is: Check, Ask and Decide.
🔗Check out MUIS’s Guide to halal and halal certification in Singapore
Choosing what is halal and tayyib
As Muslims, we are encouraged to seek food that is not only halal (lawful), but also tayyib (good and wholesome). Allah s.w.t. says:
"O humanity! Eat from what is lawful and good on the earth..."
(Surah al-Baqarah, 2:168)
Read: https://muslim.sg/articles/halalan-tayyiban-more-than-just-halal
The principle of halalan tayyiban reminds us to be mindful of the choices we make about what we consume. So, when a box of mooncakes comes our way, a few simple checks can help us make an informed choice while appreciating the thought and gesture behind it.
Articles on MuslimSG may be reproduced electronically or in print with prior permission from MuslimSG. Proper credit must be given to the author(s) and MuslimSG.
References
1- Quran. Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:168.
2- MuslimSG. Common questions about halal and Halal Certification in Singapore. https://muslim.sg/articles/common-questions-about-halal-and-halal-certification-in-singapore
3- MuslimSG. Halalan tayyiban: More than just halal. https://muslim.sg/articles/halalan-tayyiban-more-than-just-halal
4- Encyclopaedia Britannica. Mid-Autumn Festival. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Zhongqiu-Jie
5- Encyclopaedia Britannica. Mooncake. https://www.britannica.com/topic/mooncake
6- China Highlights. Chinese mooncakes: History, types and flavours. https://www.chinahighlights.com/festivals/mooncake.htm
7- China Highlights. Chinese mooncakes: History, symbols, flavours, Regional varieties. https://www.chinahighlights.com/festivals/mooncake.htm
