Q: Please go through the following and let me know whether it is halal or not:
It is an essential amino acid and it is used as a dough conditioner in bagels, pizza, bread, and hard rolls. If L-Cysteine is manufactured from human hair then it will be Haram. If it is obtained from non zabiha or dead chicken/duck feathers then it will not be Halal according to MCG’s criteria. Halal L-Cysteine is made from synthetic sources and Halal fermented processes. MCG consider L-Cysteine Halal only if it obtained synthetically or through non alcoholic fermentation.
A: The above answer is correct. L-Cysteine is manufactured mainly from poultry or pig hair. That is haraam. It is also made synthetically and that will be Halaal. But because we can never know the difference, our ruling will be that L-Cysteine in all forms is haraam. That is the more safer route.
Allah Ta’ala knows best
Mufti Siraj Desai
Darul-Uloom Abubakr