Is Giant Cottage Cheese Small Curd Low Fat 1% Milkfat No Salt Added Halal?

The Ingredient Breakdown

When determining if a dairy product is Halal, we usually look for animal-derived rennet or non-Halal enzymes. Let's look at the specific ingredients in Giant Cottage Cheese: Cultured Pasteurized Grade A Skim Milk, Lowfat Milk, Nonfat Milk. These are simply the dairy base. They are perfectly Halal. The Carbon Dioxide added is an inert gas used for packaging and is safe. Vitamin A Palmitate is a synthetic vitamin, also safe.

The issue lies with the final ingredient: Enzyme. In cheese making, enzymes (specifically rennet) are used to curdle the milk. Rennet can be derived from three sources: the stomach lining of a calf (animal rennet), microbial fermentation (fungi/bacteria), or genetically modified microbes. If the enzyme is animal-based, it must come from a Halal-slaughtered animal to be permissible. If it is microbial, it is generally considered Halal. Because the label simply says 'Enzyme' without specifying the source, the product is flagged as 'Maybe'.

Nutritional Value

From a nutritional standpoint, this product is excellent. With 1% milkfat and No Salt Added, it is designed for heart health and weight management. It is high in protein and low in sodium, which is a significant benefit over standard cottage cheeses that can be loaded with salt. It fits well into low-carb and low-fat diet limits.