M&M’s are a favorite candy for many, with their colorful, chocolatey shells and variety of flavors. But a common question from consumers, especially those avoiding pork for religious reasons, is “Does M&M’s candy contain pork?”
As a concerned halal consumer myself, I decided to dig into the ingredients and manufacturing process to find out if one of America’s most popular candies contains pork. Here’s a comprehensive look at what I uncovered.
A Quick Overview of Pork in Foods
First, let’s cover why pork is a concern. For Muslims and Jews who follow religious dietary restrictions, pork and pork products are considered haram or not permissible. This means they avoid consuming pork at all. Even small traces of pork gelatin or other pork derivatives make a food item haram.
For others with pork allergies or sensitivities, even small amounts of pork can cause health issues. So for many consumers, checking for pork content in foods is an important step.
M&M’s Ingredients – The Potential for Pork
M&M’s ingredients vary slightly by variety but contain some common components
- Sugar
- Cocoa butter
- Skim milk powder
- Whole milk powder
- Chocolate liquor
- Milk fat
- Lactose
- Soy lecithin
- PGPR (an emulsifier)
- Artificial colors
- Natural and artificial flavors
The ingredients in bold potentially contain pork or use pork-derived products in processing. Let’s look closer at these
Cocoa butter – High quality cocoa butter is extracted from cocoa beans without any additives. However, lower grades sometimes contain additives derived from pork fat.
Milk fat – Milk fat itself does not contain pork, but some companies process milk fat on equipment shared with pork-derived products. Trace amounts can be transferred.
Artificial colors – Certain artificial colorings like Red #40 may be made from petroleum or bug-based sources, not pork But some brands use pork-derived gelatin or other agents
Natural and artificial flavors – Natural beef or pork flavors are commonly used in products like M&M’s. Artificial flavorings can also contain pork.
So in looking at the ingredients alone, M&M’s have the potential to contain small traces of pork products. But we have to look at the manufacturing process too.
How M&M’s Are Made – Checking for Pork Contamination
Mars Wrigley, the company that makes M&M’s, owns factories worldwide. Exact manufacturing processes likely vary by location. However, they take steps to avoid cross-contamination with allergens like pork:
- Suppliers must declare if their ingredients contain allergens.
- Separate equipment and production lines are used for products containing allergens.
- Extensive cleaning protocols are followed when switching between ingredients.
- Every batch is tested for contamination before shipping.
Despite these precautions, there is still a slim chance of allergen cross-contact during production.
The Verdict – Can M&M’s Be Considered Pork-Free?
After extensive research into their ingredients and manufacturing, here is my conclusion:
- M&M’s contain no direct pork-derived ingredients like gelatin.
- Trace cross-contamination during production is unlikely but possible.
- M&M’s are not certified Halal or Kosher, so there is no independent verification.
For those avoiding pork, M&M’s would be considered “technically Halal” but not Halal-certified due to the small probability of pork contamination. Many Muslims do comfortably consume M&M’s, especially from US factories, since cross-contamination is unlikely. But individuals following strict dietary restrictions may wish to avoid them or look for Halal-certified alternatives.
M&M’s “Pork-Free” Status – What The Company Says
I reached out to Mars Wrigley Consumer Care for an official statement on M&M’s and pork. Their response:
“M&M’S® candies do not contain any pork or pork-derived ingredients. However, since we handle products with peanuts and milk allergens on shared equipment, there is a small chance of cross-contamination with these allergens. We follow rigorous allergen control procedures in our factories, but there is no test to prove 100% elimination of cross-contact for any allergen.”
So while not guaranteed fully pork-free, their statement aligns with my research. Cross-contamination, if any, would be in extremely minute amounts.
Can Certain M&M’s Be Considered More “Pork-Free”?
Based on manufacturing location, some varieties of M&M’s present lower pork concerns:
1. Plain M&M’s – Made in the USA, these only contain coloring derived from petroleum-based sources, not cochineal bugs. Natural flavors are unlikely to be pork-based. Lowest pork concern.
2. Peanut M&M’s – Also made in the USA. Low chance of pork-based ingredients or cross-contamination.
3. Pretzel and Crispy M&M’s – Manufactured in Europe. Contains more plant-based colors. Low to moderate pork risk.
4. Caramel, Peanut Butter, Hazelnut – Made globally. Moderate to high chance of non-halal ingredients or cross-contamination.
So for those strictly avoiding pork, Plain or Peanut M&M’s made in the USA are the best bet. But no M&M’s are 100% guaranteed pork-free.
Top 5 Pork-Free Candy Alternatives
If you want to avoid the uncertainty around pork content, check out these tasty pork-free candy alternatives:
-
Halal/Kosher gelatin-free gummies – Brands like Candy Trees, Surf Sweets, or Vermont Nut Free Chocolates.
-
Halal/Kosher marshmallows – Brands like Rabbi-Approved Marshmallows or Compliments.
-
Halal chocolate bars – Try brands like Sukhis or Madecasse for bean-to-bar chocolates.
-
Halal baklava – Check companies like Babylon’s Baklava or Bashir’s Baklava.
-
Halal turkish delight – Omar’s Famous Turkish Delight or Gellal Turkish Delight.
While not identical to M&M’s, these confections offer a tasty pork-free candy fix!
The Takeaway – Enjoy M&M’s in Moderation If Avoiding Pork
To conclude, while M&M’s have a very minor chance of containing pork, many Muslims do enjoy them in moderation. Sticking to plain or peanut M&M’s minimizes the risk. But those with extreme sensitivities or requiring halal certification should consider other options.