Halal soy sauce: All you Need to Know

Sauce is one of the most loved sauces used across the word. Primarily in asian cooking, with a particSoy ular focus on Japanese, it can bring a delicious, umami flavor to the food.

As cuisines become more globally loved, it is no lie that soy sauce has not grown in popularity lately too and people all across the world are enjoying it in their home cooking.

As foods become increasingly popular, there are certain dietary demands and requirements that they may now need to match which perhaps was not the case before.

We have seen an increase in gluten free ingredients, including gluten free soy sauce, we have seen vegetarian alternatives being created, and we have seen a lot more foods becoming halal-certified.

Today I am going to look at whether soy sauce us halal, and if not, is halal soy sauce available?

Table of Contents

• What is Halal?
• What is soy sauce?
• Is Soy Sauce Halal?
• Can I buy Halal Soy Sauce?
• Final Words
• FAQs

What is Halal?

Halal food is food that is prepared in a method that adheres to Islamic law. Typically this means following the Islamic method of slaughtering an animal.

Animals must be alive and healthy at the time of killing and the killing must be done by cutting through the jugular vein, carotid artery and windpipe. This is viewed as a quick, humane way of killing the animal.

Further to this, Halal food does not contain ethanol. This means that for a food to be considered Halal, it must be alcohol-free.

What is soy sauce?

Soy sauce is also known as soya sauce and shoyu, and is made up of soybeans, wheat, salt and fermenting agent.

The traditional brewing method to make soy sauce involves soaking soybeans in water for several hours and steaming them. Wheat is then roasted, ground into flour, and mixed into the steamed soybeans. This ferments together and creates soy sauce. Much like the brewing of beer, the brewing of soy sauce produces around 2-3% alcohol from the wheat.

Is Soy Sauce Halal?

The typical ingredients in soy sauce mean that whilst it is not gluten free, it is in fact naturally Halal, however in some cases the brewing process for soy sauce can produce around 2-3% alcohol, making it non-Halal (Haram).

Whilst the alcohol content is very low in soy sauce and often is not labelled, it does still mean that it would not qualify as a Halal food.

Can I buy Halal Soy Sauce?

Kikkoman is one of the most popular brands of soy sauce used across Japan, and after years of trials, it is now Halal-certified. Kikkoman introduced a gluten-free soy sauce with 0% alcohol. This is because they do not use wheat in the brewing process and therefore there is no gluten or alcohol present.

Whilst primarily available in Japan, it may also be available in your asian supermarkets so it is worth having a look there.

If you are unable to find this specific brand of soy sauce, have a look in the gluten free section of your supermarket and there may be an alternative soy sauce that does not contain gluten.

This is an amazing alternative to regular soy sauce as it is not only perfect for those who can only eat Halal, but it is also a safe and tasty alternative for anyone unable to eat gluten.

Final Words

In short, soy sauce can often contain a very low percentage of alcohol and therefore it is not classed as Halal.

Gluten-free soy sauce is available in many stores, and whilst being great for those with celiac disease, it is also a fantastic Halal option. Gluten-free soy sauce misses out the process of using wheat, and therefore it is a great substitute for anyone with specific dietary requirements.

If you are looking for something Halal and don’t want to miss out on the delicious flavor of soy sauce in your cooking, then look no further than Kikkoman!

FAQs