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Consumption Of Genetically Engineered Rennet
Asalamualaikum,
I was wondering whether Genetically Engineered Rennet, as explained below, is permissible for consumption?
“The third type of rennet used that is considered vegetarian is called Fermentation Produced Chymosin (FPC). This product is made by taking a gene out of a calves’ DNA, then putting it into the DNA of yeast, mold, or bacteria. That means FPC is a GMO product. Most cheese in the United States is made with this type of rennet. This type of rennet was approved for use in cheese by the FDA in 1990.
It’s important to note that in many cases the enzymes labeled vegetarian rennet are manufactured by using genetically altered rennet. In this case, the chymosin DNA is taken from a calf’s stomach cells and altered.”
https://vegetarian.lovetoknow.com/Vegetarian_Rennet
“Purified chymosin from E. coli is chemically indistinguishable from that taken from calves.”
https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/food-matters/do-gmo-opponents-have-a-problem-with-cheese/
“Of all the types of rennet, FPC most closely performs like calf rennet in cheesemaking because of similarities in chemical action and structure.”
https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2008issue3/2008_issue3_update_renet.php
It isn’t clear whether there even is a chemical change in the end product rennet that is produced. I don’t know if animal genes are considered animal products too? But either way, I read that no calf is used to make each fresh batch of enzymes, so I guess this point is worth considering too.
There is microbial rennet that is produced without the use of calf DNA, but I don’t believe this rennet is usually distinguished from the microbial rennet that does use calf DNA. I’m guessing most people are not aware of the difference. For this reason, I don’t believe I’d be able to confirm whether I can consume any particular food product that contains rennet (in the case that Genetically Engineered Microbial Rennet is not permissible to consume, whereas non-genetically engineered microbial rennet is permissible to consume).
JazakAllah!
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6 Replies
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Consumption Of Genetically Engineered Rennet
updated 2 years, 5 months ago
2 Members
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6
Replies
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God has prescribed that among eatables, only four things are haram.
Say, “I do not find within that which was revealed to me [anything] forbidden to one who would eat it unless it be a (1) dead animal or (2) blood spilled out or (3) the flesh of swine – for indeed, it is impure – or it (4) be [that slaughtered in] disobedience, dedicated to other than Allah. But whoever is forced [by necessity], neither desiring [it] nor transgressing [its limit], then indeed, your Lord is Forgiving and Merciful.” (6: 145)
your mentioned product does not fall in the category of any of forbidden things. so it is halal. To slaughter an animal is necessary to spill its blood to make its flesh clean. in the case cited above, blood is not involved, nor have we to take life from an animal that we need to slaughter it.
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JazakAllah Dr. Irfan Shahzad. But if the calf was killed in an unIslamic manner and then its DNA was used to produce genetically engineered rennet through microbes, would it still be permissible to consume the rennet enzyme? The DNA appears to be extracted from the stomach cells of the calf, or maybe the rennet present within it. I’m not sure.
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We will see the case in hand, will not see its origin. as we do not consider, for example, that chicken eats filth and garbage but its flesh and egg are halal which are made up of some elements of filth.
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JazakAllah Dr. Irfan Shahzad. That makes sense! If I have more questions, I will ask you, I hope you don’t mind!
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We are here to serve.
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JazakAllah Dr. Irfan Shahzad! I really appreciate it!
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