Halal Additive Checker
What an E number is actually made from — and where the answer depends on the manufacturer rather than on a ruling.
Curcumin
Mustard, curry powder, margarine, dairy
Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
Cereals, sauces, dairy, vitamin supplements
Cochineal / Carmine
Yoghurt, sweets, drinks, cosmetics
Chlorophyll
Sweets, ice cream, soups
Vegetable Carbon
Sweets, cheese coatings, jams
Beta-Carotene
Margarine, juice, cheese, dairy
Gelatine
Gums, marshmallows, yoghurt, capsules
Mono- and Diglycerides of Fatty Acids
Bread, cake, ice cream, margarine
DATEM
Bread, bakery products
Bone Phosphate
Anti-caking agent, supplements
Stearic Acid
Sweets, chewing gum, supplements
Disodium Inosinate
Crisps, instant noodles, savoury snacks
Disodium Guanylate
Crisps, seasonings, instant soups
Disodium Ribonucleotides
Crisps, instant noodles, stock cubes
Shellac
Sweet coatings, fruit glaze, tablets
L-Cysteine
Bread, bakery dough conditioner
Lysozyme
Cheese, wine preservation
Lecithin
Chocolate, margarine, baked goods
Glycerol (Glycerine)
Icing, sweets, chewing gum, capsules
Ethanol
Flavour carrier, extracts, glazes
Glyceryl Triacetate (Triacetin)
Chewing gum, flavour carrier
Rennet (animal)
Cheese
Potassium Sorbate
Cheese, dried fruit, soft drinks
Sodium Benzoate
Soft drinks, sauces, pickles
Citric Acid
Almost everything acidic
Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
Savoury foods, stock, snacks
Pectin
Jam, jelly, fruit products
Agar
Desserts, jellies, dairy
Carrageenan
Dairy, plant milks, desserts
Annatto
Cheese, butter, snacks
This page describes what additives are made from. It does not issue rulings. Where a source varies by manufacturer, the only reliable answer for a specific product is its halal certification or the manufacturer’s own statement — and where the schools of law differ, the position of the school you follow is the one that answers your question.