Is vanilla halaal? It contains denatured alcohol.

Answer

Denatured alcohol is not an intoxicant, hence a substance containing it will be permissible. However, vanilla is now lately also manufactured from cow dung. There is a world-wide shortage of vanilla. The demand far exceeds the supply of natural vanilla. A Hindu scientist in India has recently discovered how to produce vanilla from cow dung. We therefore abstain from products containing vanilla. Furthermore, the cow dung vanilla is much cheaper than the plant vanilla, hence it is more economical for the manufacturers to acquire this impure substance. If it could be ascertained that a product does not contain cow dung vanilla, then such product will be permissible.