Is Candy Corn Halal For Muslims To Eat?


Did you know that it does not require actual corn to make candy corn? The name is deceiving as it does come across as though candy corn is made from corn. It does not even taste like corn.

Candy corn is very popular and kids will be running around with bags of it every Halloween. Given it’s popularity, I really wanted to explore whether Muslim parents should be keeping it away from their kids, especially if living in North America (USA, Canada & Mexico).

Close up photo of candy corn
Photo Credit: Rodger

Here’s Why Most Candy Corn Is Not Halal

The most popular candy corn brands such as Cottage County, Brach’s, and Jelly Belly all rely on gelatin (pork) or Confectioner’s Glaze to make the candy corn and give it the texture and shape.

Gelatin is commonly found in snacks and candy. Gelatin is a colorless food ingredient that is derived from collagen which is derived from animal body parts. Food manufacturers use gelatin because it does not influence the taste of the candy, it mixes well with other ingredients, and it gives the candy it’s shape.

So why does Gelatin make Candy Corn not halal? Most companies use pork-based gelatin to make their candy. Muslims are not permitted to eat pork or pork based products. This automatically makes Candy Corn not Halal.

Corn Candy Can Be Halal If Gelatin Is Derived from Halal Gelatin Sources

For Candy that includes Gelatin to be halal, the Gelatin must come from the following sources:

  1. Beef gelatin (that has been slaughtered in accordance to Islamic law
  2. Fish Gelatin
  3. Vegetarian Gelatin

To help you find out whether Candy Corn is halal, we looked into the most famous Candy Corn brands to find out whether they’re halal or not so that you don’t have to.

Is Brach’s Candy Corn Halal?

Photo Credit: Mike Mozart

No. Brach’s Candy Corn is not halal because the Gelatin is derived from pork. Gelatin is only permitted for Muslims to eat if its vegetarian or if the animal slaughtered to extracted the Gelatin from was slaughtered in accordance to Islamic law. Learn more about halal gelatin.

To find out whether Brach’s Candy Corn is Halal, I contacted Ferrara (parent company that owns Brach’s Candy Corn) to see what they have to say about the gelatin source. They responded to my email 2 weeks later, here’s our full correspondence:

Hello,

Hope you’re doing well. I wanted to know what Gelatin source is used to make Brach’s Candy Corn?

Is it from pork, beef, fish ? I am trying to find out whether Brach’s candy corn is halal or not. Thanks, Adam

Adam, February 1st, 2023

They responded back saying that the Gelatin used in Brach’s Candy Corn is derived from pork.

Dear  Adam Sheriff,

Thank you for contacting us regarding Brach’s. Your feedback plays an integral role in our ongoing efforts to further improve our products and services.

All products containing gelatin manufactured by our company contain pork gelatin.  Each ingredient is tested regularly to determine which raw materials work best to maintain the quality of Ferrara confections.  We established that the pork gelatin currently used in our confections holds the product better than other gelatin types.

Thank you for taking the time to contact us.

Ferrara Consumer Affairs Department – February 15th, 2023

Are Brach’s Candy Corn Ingredients Halal?

According to Brach’s, here’s the list of ingredients used to make their famous candy corn candy:

  • Sugar
  • Corn Syrup
  • Confectioner’s Glaze (Shellac)
  • Salt
  • Dextrose
  • Gelatin (Pork)
  • Sesame Oil
  • Artificial Flavor
  • Honey
  • Yellow 6
  • Yellow 5
  • Red 3

Given the ingredients above, the main ingredients that stand out to us as to what makes Brach’s Candy Corn not halal are Gelatin (pork) & Confectioner’s Glaze (Shellac).

Gelatin in this case is not halal because it is derived from pork.. As for Confectioner’s Glaze (Shellac), it is considered haram by scholars (source) because it is derived from insects. Since insects do not have blood flowing through them, the are considered impure and therefore not halal to eat.

Is Jelly Belly Candy Corn Halal?

Jelly Belly Candy Corn - Non halal ingredients
Photo Credit: Willis Lam

No, because it includes Confectioner’s Glaze (Shellac) which has been declared by Islamic Scholars as non-halal for Muslims to eat.

Jelly Belly’s Candy Corn mainly contains sugar and corn syrup along with a couple more ingredients. While it does not contain gelatin, it does contain Confectioner’s Glaze, which is declared as non-halal.

Do Candy Corns have Gelatin

Not all Candy Corns have gelatin. Some brands like Jelly Belly will used Carnauba Wax instead of gelatin. However, it is important to look at other ingredients (other than gelatin) to find out whether it is permissible for you to eat as a Muslim following a halal diet.

Does Candy Corn Have Pork Gelatin?

Some companies will use pork gelatin to make candy corn as it is a convenient ingredient since it is tasteless, colorless, and gives candy corn it’s shape.

How to Make Halal Candy Corn

Here’s a simple recipe to make Halal candy corn at home:

  1. Combine powdered sugar, powdered milk, and salt into a bowl and stir
  2. Grab a saucepan and combine sugar, butter, and corn syrup
  3. Keep stirring and when it boils, simply lower down the heat and keep stirring for 4 minutes
  4. Remove from the heat and add halal vanilla extract
  5. Add the mixture, from step 1, with a wooden spoon and stir together
  6. place your new candy on a wax paper and let it cool
  7. Once it’s cool, cut the it in 3 chunks
  8. Add the halal food coloring to each portion. Mix the food coloring with the mixture using your hand.
  9. Roll the 3 big chunks into small ropes and flatten with your hands
  10. Usae a knife to cut the flattened ropes into triangles
  11. Store you halal candy corn in an air tight container
Is Candy Corn Halal Infographic explaining why store bought Candy Corn is not Halal while including halal alternatives.

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3 Halal Alternatives to Candy Corn

Not bothered or interested in making Halal , check out our full list of halal gummies that are animal free. Here’s a few options as well

1- Twizzlers Twisters Strawberry Flavored Candy

Strawberry Twizzlers do not contain any gelatin and their ingredients are halal by nature. Check them out on Amazon (link to Amazon) and check out other halal Twizzlers options.

2 – Sour Patch Kids

3- Swedish Fish

Check out Swedish Fish on Amazon (link to Amazon)

Amr

I am a Muslim that has been living in North America for more than a decade. I am keen on knowing which foods, lifestyle choices, and financial decisions that are halal or not. I enjoy sharing this information with my readers and do the research myself so that readers don't have to.

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