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Aisle guide
Gummies, sweets and coatings
A gummy is often three separate checks: the gelling agent, the colour, and the shine. One vegan mark can settle all three. Bare gelatin or E120 cannot.
Two-minute sweets check
- What sets it? Gelatin (E441) is source-dependent. Pectin, agar and carrageenan are the usual plant alternatives.
- What colours it? Carmine / cochineal (E120) is an insect colour.
- What shines it? Shellac (E904) and beeswax (E901) are insect/animal glazes. Carnauba (E903) is plant.
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Source-dependentE441
Gelatin
The single most important ingredient to check in processed food. Gelatin is a protein boiled from animal skin, bones and connective tissue — and in We…
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HalalE440
Pectin
Pectin: A structural polysaccharide from plant cell walls (mostly citrus peel and apple). Plant-derived; halal alternative to gelatin in vegetarian gu…
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Halal
Agar-Agar
Agar-Agar: A gelatinous substance derived from seaweed.
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HalalE407
E407 Carrageenan
Halal
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DisputedE120
Carmine (cochineal)
A red dye crushed from cochineal insects. The majority of scholars and most certifiers rule it haram; a minority permit it. This is a genuine disagree…
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DisputedE904
Shellac
The shine on chocolate raisins, jelly beans and coated tablets comes from a resin secreted by the lac insect. Whether that makes it haram is a live di…
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HalalE901
E901 Beeswax
Halal
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HalalE903
E903 Carnauba Wax
Halal
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Source-dependentE422
Glycerin (glycerol)
A sweet humectant that keeps foods moist. The molecule is identical whether it came from palm oil or pig fat — which is exactly why the source has to …
A procedure for reading a pack - not a product certification and not a fatwa. See the methodology.