Ingredient guide for shopping

Is it halal? Read the label in 10 seconds

E-numbers and German words that can hide pork fat, animal gelatine or alcohol. Open this page on your phone in the supermarket and type the number on the pack.

Avoid

Usually animal or pork source

Check

Can be plant or animal

Insect

Insect source; opinions differ

Usually fine

Usually plant-based or synthetic

E-numbers and additives

Printed on the pack as "E471" or by their German name.

Gelatine

Avoid

Gelatine

Gelatine / Speisegelatine

In Germany usually from pork unless it says Rindergelatine, Fischgelatine or Halal-Gelatine. It has no E-number because it counts as a food (formerly E441).

Found in: Gummy sweets, yoghurt, cream, chilled cakes, capsules

E120

Insect

Carmine (cochineal)

Karmin / Echtes Karmin / Cochenille

A red dye made from cochineal insects.

Found in: Red drinks, sweets, fruit yoghurt, sausages

E422

Check

Glycerol

Glycerin

Can come from plant oils or animal fat.

Found in: Sweets, chewing gum, baked goods

E470a

Check

Salts of fatty acids

Salze der Speisefettsäuren

From plant or animal fats.

Found in: Processed foods, supplements

E470b

Check

Magnesium salts of fatty acids

Magnesiumsalze der Speisefettsäuren

From plant or animal fats.

Found in: Tablets, spices

E471

Check

Mono- and diglycerides

Mono- und Diglyceride von Speisefettsäuren

One of the most common emulsifiers. Can be made from pork fat or plant oils. If it does not say "pflanzlich", check.

Found in: Packaged bread, ice cream, chocolate, cakes, margarine

E472a–f

Check

Esters of mono- and diglycerides

Ester von Mono- und Diglyceriden

Derived from E471, so the fat source can be animal.

Found in: Baked goods, creams, sweets

E473–E477

Check

Sugar and polyglycerol esters

Zuckerester / Polyglycerinester

Built on fatty acids that can be animal.

Found in: Sweets, whipped toppings, baked goods

E481–E483

Check

Stearoyl lactylates

Stearoyllactylate / Stearyltartrat

Built on stearic acid, which can be animal.

Found in: Bread, toast, doughs

E491–E495

Check

Sorbitan esters

Sorbitanester

Built on fatty acids that can be animal.

Found in: Dry yeast, coatings, sweets

E432–E436

Check

Polysorbates

Polysorbate

Built on fatty acids that can be animal.

Found in: Ice cream, sauces, sweets

E542

Avoid

Bone phosphate

Knochenphosphat

Extracted from animal bones.

Found in: Anti-caking agent in some foods

E570

Check

Fatty acids (stearic acid)

Fettsäuren / Stearinsäure

From plant or animal fats.

Found in: Chewing gum, sweets, tablets

E572

Check

Magnesium stearate

Magnesiumstearat

Can be animal or plant-based.

Found in: Tablets, supplements, pressed sweets

E627 / E631 / E635

Check

Flavour enhancers

Guanylat / Inosinat / Ribonukleotide

Usually made by fermentation, sometimes from meat or fish.

Found in: Crisps, instant soups, stock, seasonings

E904

Insect

Shellac

Schellack

A glaze secreted by the lac insect.

Found in: Glazing sweets, fruit and tablets

E920

Check

L-cysteine

L-Cystein

A flour improver; can come from feathers or animal hair, or be synthetic.

Found in: Industrial bread and cakes

E322

Usually fine

Lecithin

Usually from soy or sunflower (rarely from egg).

Found in: Chocolate, baked goods

E440

Usually fine

Pectin

Pektin

A plant gelling agent from apples and citrus.

Found in: Jams, vegan gummy sweets

E406

Usually fine

Agar

Agar-Agar

A gelling agent from seaweed.

Found in: Vegan desserts, pudding

E407

Usually fine

Carrageenan

Carrageen

From red seaweed.

Found in: Flavoured milk, pudding, cream

E410 / E412

Usually fine

Locust bean and guar gum

Johannisbrotkernmehl / Guarkernmehl

Plant thickeners from seeds.

Found in: Ice cream, sauces, dairy

E901

Usually fine

Beeswax

Bienenwachs

From bees; considered halal by most scholars.

Found in: Glazing sweets and fruit

Hidden words on the label

Ingredients without a number that still mean pork, alcohol or an animal source.

Schweinefleisch / Schwein

Avoid

Pork / pig

Obvious, but it turns up in unexpected places: sauces, soups and frozen pizza.

Speck / Schinken

Avoid

Bacon / ham

Common in salads, pastries and quiche.

Schmalz / Schweineschmalz

Avoid

Lard (pork fat)

Used in some bakeries, fryers and traditional pastries.

Gelatine / Speisegelatine

Avoid

Gelatine / food gelatine

Usually pork. Safe: Rindergelatine (halal beef), Fischgelatine (fish), Halal-Gelatine.

Ethylalkohol / Alkohol / Weingeist

Avoid

Ethyl alcohol / alcohol

Sometimes sprayed on packaged bread and toast to keep it fresh, and found in some sweets and creams.

Rum / Weinbrand / Likör / Kirschwasser

Avoid

Rum / brandy / liqueur

In filled chocolates (Mon Chéri), rum balls (Rumkugeln), Black Forest cake and Christmas cakes.

Aroma (in Alkohol gelöst)

Check

Flavouring (dissolved in alcohol)

Some flavourings are carried in alcohol. The amount is tiny and opinions differ.

tierisches Fett / Tierfett

Check

Animal fat

The animal is not stated. Avoid it unless the source is named.

Lab / tierisches Lab

Check

Animal rennet (in cheese)

Usually from calf stomach. Safe: mikrobielles Lab or "vegetarisch" on the cheese.

Molke / Molkenpulver

Check

Whey / whey powder

From milk, but may be made with animal rennet.

Kollagen

Avoid

Collagen

From animal skin or bones, often pork. In sausage casings and some supplements.

Bier / Wein (in Soße, Brot)

Avoid

Beer / wine (in sauce, bread)

Some breads (Bierbrot), sauces and mustards contain beer or wine.

vegan

Usually fine

Vegan

No animal ingredients at all. The easiest sign for safe shopping (but watch for alcohol).

pflanzlich / vegetarisch

Usually fine

Plant-based / vegetarian

"vegetarisch" can contain milk and eggs, but no meat or gelatine.

Plant gelling agents vs gelatine

Plant gelling agents

Pflanzliches Geliermittel

Made from plants and seaweed, and safe. Look for these words on sweets, jams and puddings:

Pektin (E440): from apples and citrus
Agar-Agar (E406): from seaweed
Carrageen (E407): from red seaweed
Johannisbrotkernmehl (E410): from carob seeds
Stärke: corn or potato starch

Animal gelatine

Speisegelatine

Made from animal skin and bones. In Germany most of it is pork, and a little is beef that is not halal-slaughtered:

Gelatine / Speisegelatine: usually pork
Schweinegelatine: definitely pork
Rindergelatine: beef (not necessarily halal)
Halal-Gelatine: the certified halal option
Fischgelatine: from fish, fine for most scholars

Shopping tips

Safe signs: "vegan", a certified "Halal" logo, or "ohne Gelatine" (without gelatine).
Halal gummy sweets (such as Haribo Halal) are sold in Turkish and Arab shops, and sometimes in big supermarkets.
The camera mode in Google Translate translates an ingredient list instantly.
Ask at the bakery: "Ist da Schmalz oder Alkohol drin?" (Is there lard or alcohol in it?)
Organic (Bio) products are not necessarily halal. Always read the ingredients.

This guide is for awareness only. Religious opinions differ on some ingredients (such as insects and trace alcohol). When in doubt, choose a product with a halal certificate or the word "vegan", and ask your religious authority.