Salt water taffy - Halal or Haram?

[N. Truth Seeker]

Assalam Alaykum everyone.  Kids of our vast household again raving after a set of candies, the ingredients of which we don't know.  So we, the elders of the family, told them to wait until we find out if it's okay to eat for Muslims.  Anyone here acquainted with salt water taffy, what it's made of and can it be categorized as Halal?  Your feedback would be immensely helpful as the lil army of kiddos are impatiently waiting for information 

[Ruhi_Rose]

LOL    how cute!   Yeah I'm surely acquainted with this candy. In our family we treat it as Halal.  When we were kids, we called it bon-bon.   The ingredients include sugar, cornstarch corn syrup, butter, salt, water, milk / cream, artificial and natural flavors and artificial colors.  The only aspect which some in our community might see as an issue is the flavoring which includes vanilla as well.  Some of these taffys contain a white streak (especially the Bulk Barn ones) which is supposed to be vanilla flavored cream.  As you know, vanilla in the West is extracted from vanilla beans soaked in alcohol.  However, the fact is vanilla is used in desserts and candies in very small proportions and it carries NO alcoholic effects.  It has absolutely no intoxicating effect at all.  Also, most likely the very small proportion of alcoholic residue in vanilla evaporates during cooking.  I'm posting a pic of assorted salt water taffys.  The white one is vanilla flavored.  The orange taffy has a small white creamy streak which is called orange vanilla or orange creme.  Frankly my husband and I are not fussy about something like this.  For all practical purposes it's got nothing to do with alcohol.  Not to mention the amount of vanilla used in every single taffy with a white creamy streak would be too little even to measure, probably just microscopic proportion.  We only avoid the white one but allow our kids of eat the colored taffys, with or without the creamy streak.   Sometimes my husband and I also munch them.  In fact I would think even the white is okay, we simply avoid it for our peace of mind.  If you consult the Halal and Haram chart on vanilla by our Muslim sources, there is no unanimity.  Some say yes, some no.  Just like rennet.  Many Muslim sources I've spoken to allow rennet.  They say it's too small a quantity and it's not a problem even though rennet is an animal product.  So I would say salt water taffys are fine.  Buy it for the kiddos  



Old Danish Fudge Kitchen

[N. Truth Seeker]

Thank you Sister for the very prompt and all-inclusive response.  Makes the matter totally clear.   I get your point and am in complete agreement with you.  That small bit of vanilla presence should not be seen as a problem.  As Allah says in the Quran not to exaggerate.  Allah has forbidden alcohol based on a big reason, when it is taken as an intoxicant bringing about its offensive outcome.  Alcohol used in tiny proportions in medicines or in flavorings is a very different thing. 

Btw, just one more query.  What are the different flavors in the different colors apart from white?  Is taffy any different from toffee .. we usually use the term toffee for soft candy.

[Ruhi_Rose]

You're very welcomed brother.

As Allah says in the Quran not to exaggerate.  Allah has forbidden alcohol based on a big reason, when it is taken as an intoxicant bringing about its offensive outcome.  Alcohol used in tiny proportions in medicines or in flavorings is a very different thing. 

True brother.  This is precisely the point.

Btw, just one more query.  What are the different flavors in the different colors apart from white?  Is taffy any different from toffee .. we usually use the term toffee for soft candy.

Yeah .. sorry I forgot these details.  The orange one contains orange flavor, the white creamy bit doesn't really make it taste like cream.  Yellow is banana.  Dark brown is chocolate.  Green is green apple flavor.  Pink is strawberry.  Blue is raspberry and purple is huckleberry or purple grape flavor.  But the pink and green really don't taste like strawberry and green apple.  My kids disliked both and spat them out. Obviously the artificial flavors used aren't good enough.  They like only yellow (banana), orange and purple.  Purple is best.  Once when we visited the bulk barn store, all purples were finished    Somehow we haven't yet tasted the blue taffy.  InshAllah next time we will.

Difference between taffy and toffee .. good question    Taffy is a pulled candy similar to caramel candies, chewy and pully.  Toffee is slightly harder candy (though not hard like the lozenges) that breaks more easily into bits or pieces.  Pop one in your mouth and give it a couple of minutes .... starts to gradually soften releasing the rich creamy flavor  .. kool huh?    Taffy kinda sticks more with the teeth and gums, only for a while though.

[Ruhi_Rose]

Btw .. my profuse apology to the kids of your household    Guess why?  A week or so prior to Ramadan I promised to post more animal-world art pics at Kids' Corner and then somehow couldn't get around because of my hectic schedule.  InshAllah, will post them within a day in that same thread.  So tell the kiddies to keep an eye on that thread like a hawk !! 

[N. Truth Seeker]

Thank you again so very much Sister Ruhi.   It's hugely comforting to know that your research is so thorough & accurate prior to picking snacks for family and kids.  So kind of you for allowing us to be the beneficiaries of your research. 

Allah bless.

Btw .. my profuse apology to the kids of your household    Guess why?  A week or so prior to Ramadan I promised to post more animal-world art pics at Kids' Corner and then somehow couldn't get around because of my hectic schedule.  InshAllah, will post them within a day in that same thread.  So tell the kiddies to keep an eye on that thread like a hawk !! 

O!!  That would be smashing!       Will tell them.  They'll be glued to that thread.