Islam has a clear set of principles and laws on the consumption of food and beverages for Muslims.

Foods such as unslaughtered meat, pork and their derivatives, and drinks that contain alcohol are prohibited.

With the rapid advancements in food science, newer and more complex forms of foods have emerged. These include plant-based products that are intended to replicate the texture, smell and taste of meat. An example is mock pork, designed as a substitute for pork.

To ascertain if such products can be consumed by Muslims, two things need to be considered: first is whether all its ingredients are permitted under Muslim law; and second whether there are undesirable social consequences arising from the consumption of such foods. In this case, it may cause confusion for the Muslim public from the use of the name of a clearly prohibited food item under Muslim law.

As such, we advise the Muslim community to not consume such food until the considerations stated above have been looked into in a thorough and holistic manner. We encourage Muslims to consume other varieties of Halal protein sources that are in abundance in Singapore.