Do Rice Krispies have pork in them?

Quick answer: Check which product you mean. Kellogg's own January 2023 letter to US customers says beef or pork gelatin may be used in all varieties of Rice Krispies Treats bars, so the bars are not suitable for halal or vegetarian diets unless the pack says otherwise. The US Rice Krispies cereal ingredient list we saw names no gelatin.

The cereal and the marshmallow bars are different products. The bars contain gelatin that Kellogg's says may be beef or pork, and the supplier can vary.

Why this verdict

• Kellogg's January 4, 2023 letter to US customers on gelatin states that beef or pork gelatin may be used in all varieties of Kellogg's Rice Krispies Treats bars, including bars made with whole grain. It adds that the letter is not an all-inclusive list and that product information can change without notice.
• The same letter says beef gelatin is used in Pop-Tarts, Frosted Mini-Wheats and Mini-Wheats Little Bites cereal.
• Because the letter says "beef or pork", a bar might contain either, and neither is stated to come from an animal slaughtered in the Islamic manner. Pork gelatin is haram; beef gelatin is halal only if the cattle were slaughtered according to Islamic requirements.
• Gelatin of any kind is also not vegetarian, because it comes from animal skin and bones.
• Retailer listings for the plain US Rice Krispies cereal name rice, sugar, salt and added vitamins and minerals, with no gelatin. Cereal pieces are not marshmallow, so the gelatin that appears in marshmallow-containing cereals and bars is not part of the plain cereal. Confirm on the pack, since recipes differ by country.
• Homemade Rice Krispies treats use marshmallows, which usually contain gelatin unless they are labeled halal, fish-gelatin or plant-based. Our marshmallow verdict covers how to choose one.
• Reports that Kellogg's makes a plant-based Rice Krispies Treats variety exist, but we could not confirm the current range. Look for a vegan or halal mark on the pack.
• This is not a religious ruling. Ask a qualified scholar if you are unsure.

Key ingredients

• Rice
• Sugar
• Salt
• Marshmallow with gelatin (bars only)
• Beef or pork gelatin (Kellogg's 2023 letter)

Halal-friendly alternatives

• Plain Rice Krispies cereal, after checking the pack for your country
• Treats made with halal-certified or plant-based marshmallow
• Puffed rice bars labeled vegan or halal-certified

Rice Krispies and Rice Krispies Treats: common questions

Also relevant

• Are marshmallows halal?
• Is gelatin halal?

How this verdict was reached

Every verdict in the Is it Halal? library follows the same method. We start with the manufacturer's published ingredient statement, then trace each questionable component back to its source — animal, plant, synthetic, or microbial — because the halal status of an ingredient almost always depends on origin rather than on the ingredient name itself. Where the source is ambiguous, we look for certification records, supplier disclosures, and the positions taken by recognised halal certifying bodies, including IFANCA, the Halal Food Authority, and HMC. Country-specific certifiers such as JAKIM (Malaysia) and BPJPH/MUI (Indonesia) are covered in the country certification guides.

We then weigh the mainstream positions of the four Sunni schools of jurisprudence. Where scholars agree, we state the verdict plainly. Where they differ, we label the item mushbooh (doubtful) rather than forcing a single answer, and we explain what each position rests on so you can follow the ruling you observe. Formulations also change between countries and production runs, so a product that is halal in one market may not be in another.

This page is reviewed and updated as manufacturers reformulate and as new certification information becomes available. It is general guidance for everyday shopping, not a religious ruling for your specific situation — if a product matters a great deal to you, confirm with the manufacturer or your local scholar. For anything on the shelf that isn't covered here, our halal scanner app SafaScan is coming soon to iOS and Android; until then, you can browse the full halal verdict library for related ingredients.