For those who haven’t tried Airheads candy, they come in many different forms; taffy, gum, and gummies. They’ve always been popular and a few years ago, someone asked Airheads Candy via twitter as to whether they were halal or not. Here’s what they said.
To find out which exact Airheads Candy are halal or not, we went through the ingredients list and reached out to Airheads to get an official response.
Only the following Airheads Candies are considered Halal: Airheads (Assorted flavors mini bars – includes all flavors), Airheads Bites, Airheads Xtremes, Airheads Xtreme Bites.
I Reached out to Airheads to Find out Which Flavors Are Halal
To find out which Airheads are halal, I could’ve easily searched for the answer online, but it would not give me the comfort of having the final truth, so I reached out to Airheads themselves to get an answer.
Here’s what I asked them:
Hello,
Adam, February 20th 2023
Hope you’re doing well.
I am reaching out to you to find out whether Airheads candy contain any gelatin or any other animal based product? I am asking as I’d like to know if the ingredients are in line with a Halal diet.
Thanks,
Adam
Airheads responded back with a rather vague answer:
Dear Adam,
Rosie B. Consumer Relations at Perfetti Van Melle USA (Airheads’ parent company) – February 20th 2023
Thank you for contacting us regarding Airheads. We always enjoy hearing from our consumers and answering any questions you may have.
We do not claim that Airheads are free from animal byproducts, as there are some ingredients that can be sourced from animal or plant ingredients.
We appreciate that you have taken the time to reach out to us and thank you for your interest in Airheads!
Their response was very vague and seemed like it was written this way to protect them legally. So not the most helpful response. However, what I can make of it is that any Airheads flavors that include animal products are best to stay away from. This is because I was unable to verify whether the animal products used are derived from pork, and if derived from beef or chicken it’s most likely not from a halal source.
To come to a educated decision, I took a look at the ingredient list of the most common ingredients found in Airheads candies.
List of Halal Airheads Flavors
After carefully going through the ingredients list (mentioned below), it is clear that the below Airheads are halal:
| Airheads Flavor / Type | Halal Status | Why is it Halal? |
|---|---|---|
| Airheads bars (all flavors) | Halal | Does not contain any animal products |
| Airheads Bites | Halal (if you’re Islamic sect permits eating insects) | Contains beeswax and Shellac |
| Airheads Xtremes | Halal | Does not contain any animal products |
| Airheads Xtreme Bites | Halal | Does not contain any animal products |
List of non-halal Airheads Flavors
The below flavors of Airheads candies are not halal.
| Airheads Flavor / Type | Halal Status | Why is it not Halal? |
|---|---|---|
| Airheads Filled Ropes | Not Halal | Contains Gelatin (Their Gelatin could be derived from pork) |
| Airheads Gum (Blue Raspberry, Cherry, and Watermelon) | Not Halal | Contains Carmines (derived from crushed & boiled insects) |
| Airheads Gummies | Not Halal | Contains Gelatin (Their Gelatin could be derived from pork) |
| Airheads Soft Filled Bites | Not Halal | Contains Gelatin (Their Gelatin could be derived from pork) |
| Sourfuls | Not Halal | Contains Gelatin (Their Gelatin could be derived from pork) |
| Airheads Bites | Not Halal (if you’re Islamic sect does not permits eating insects) | Contains Shellac which is derived from insects. |
Airheads Ingredient List
We compiled a complete list of ingredients found in most Airheads. If any of the ingredients listed below are non-halal, we’ll be sure to indicate which flavors or types of Airheads have them so that you can stay away from them.
Sugar
This is no surprise, most candies contain high levels of sugar. Now, in regards to its permissibility in Islam, Sugar is permissible for Muslims to eat.
Corn Syrup
Corn Syrup is derived from corn. To make corn starch, the glucose in corn is extracted and refined. This leaves a golden syrup that is purely glucose (source). Is it permissible for Muslims to eat? Yes.
Maltodextrin
Maltodextrin is a highly processed substance that is typically derived from plant sources which include corn, rice, potato, wheat, or tapioca. Is it healthy, no. Is it halal, yes.
Dextrose
Dextrose is another highly processed substance that is derived from corn or wheat. It is another substances that is essentially a pure glucose source. Dextrose is a the same sugar found in the blood stream (source). Is it halal? Yes.
Modified Food Starch (Corn)
Modified Food Starch (Corn) is the starch that is extracted from corn. It also contains waxy maize and potatoes. Again, it is halal since all the extracts are vegetable-based.
Oils
Airheads contain 2 types of oil: Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil & Palm Oil. Both oil types are permissible for Muslims to eat.
Citric Acid
Citric acid is a chemical that is extracted from from the fermentation of crude sugars (this can include corn starch). It is not derived from any animal sources so while it does sound unhealthy, it is permissible for Muslims to eat.
Artificial Flavors
The name is rather vague, so I can definitely understand the hesitancy here. However, the FDA categorizes artificial flavor as any substances that is not derived from spices, fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, poultry, or fermentation (source). Since it does not contain pork or any animal substance, there is no reason for it to be considered haram.
There is a concern among some Muslims that there might be small levels of alcohol from the fermentation process. However, similar to drinks like Kombucha (which is halal), the levels of alcohol in the fermentation process is not enough to intoxicate you. Therefore it is deemed halal by Muslim scholars making artificial flavors halal (source).
Red 40
Red 40 is made from petroleum. Its commonly used in a lot of candy for the coloring. It was rumored that Red 40 was made from crushed insects, but that is not true. Red 40 was officially classified by SAHNA (South African National Halal Association).
Blue 1
Similar to Red 40, Blue 1 is made from petroleum which has been recognized and classified as Halal.
Yellow 6 & Yellow 5
Yellow 5 & Yellow 6 are made from petroleum and petrochemicals. Are they healthy? No. These chemicals are halal though.
Do Airheads Have Pork Gelatin?
After contacting Airheads, they do not specify the source of the gelatin on the labelling or by contacting them. Since it could technically be pork, it is always safe to assume that the Gelatin they use contains pork unless they indicate otherwise.
Are Airheads Xtremes Halal?
Airheads Xtremes are halal by nature. They do not contain any animal products. The below ingredients list of the Airheads Xtremes are halal:
- Sugar
- Glucose Syrup
- High Fructose Corn Syrup
- Corn Starch
- Food Starch-Modified (Corn)
- Food Starch-Modified (Potato)
- Citric Acid
- Malic Acid
- Artificial Flavor
- Color (Titanium Dioxide)
- Salt
- Hydrogenated Palm Oil
- Yellow 5
- Blue 1
- Red 40
- Yellow 6.
Are Airheads Bites Halal?
Airheads bites contain Shellac which is derived from insects which could be halal or haram for you depending on which Islamic sect you follow.
Airheads bites are halal if you’re a Muslim who believes that eating insects are permissible, It is haram if you’re part of the Muslim sect that believes that it is haram and impermissible.
- Sugar
- Glucose Syrup
- Maltodextrin
- Dextrose
- Hydrogenated Coconut Oil
- Citric Acid, Modified Corn Starch
- Sorbitol, Glycerol
- Artificial Flavors
- Carnauba Wax
- Rice Starch
- Beeswax
- Shellac
- Gellan Gum
- Sucrose Fatty Acid Esters
- Artificial Colors
- Red 40
- Yellow 6
- Blue 1
- Yellow 5
One thing to note here is that Shellac is derived from insects. Islamic scholars have debated this. The controversy here is that it says this in the Quran “And prohibits for them what is bad (and impure)” [7: 157]”. The definition of “what is bad and impure” is what is heavily debated.
From my experience, if I’m ever unsure whether something is halal or not, I typically just stay away from it. In this case, if you’re unsure if the Islamic sect that you follow permits eating insects, then it’s best for you to stay away from it.
Are Airheads Gummies Halal?
Airhead Gummies are not halal because they contain Gelatin. As mentioned previously, Perfetti Van Melle USA (Airheads’ parent company) did not identify the exact source of the Gelatin used in their products. The gelatin used could be from pork, beef, or Fish. I can not in good faith say that it is halal to eat.
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