Aisle guide
Probiotics
Lactobacillus on a label is not a ruling. Ask what the bacteria were grown on, then what they were packed in.
Two-minute probiotic check
- The organism is not meat. The bacteria or yeast are microorganisms.
- Then the medium. Dairy, plant, or undeclared. Freeze-drying carriers are often lactose.
- Then the shell. HPMC and pullulan avoid gelatin. Softgels usually do not.
-
Source-dependent
Probiotics
The bacteria are microorganisms, not meat. The usual doubts are the capsule (gelatin vs HPMC), the growth medium (dairy vs plant), and any glycerin in…
-
Source-dependent
Lactobacillus
A genus of lactic-acid bacteria. The organism is not the usual doubt — dairy growth media, freeze-drying carriers (often lactose or skim milk) and the…
-
Source-dependent
Bifidobacterium
A genus used in yogurt and capsules. Same three checks as Lactobacillus: capsule, growth medium, carrier. The species name does not settle any of them…
-
Source-dependent
Saccharomyces boulardii
A probiotic yeast, not a bacterium. Still check the capsule and any lactose or magnesium stearate in the blend. Not a ruling on baker’s yeast or nutri…
-
Source-dependent
Gelatin capsules (medicines and supplements)
Nearly every softgel and most hard capsules are gelatin, and the bottle rarely says which animal. This is the supplement version of the gelatin proble…
-
Halal
Hypromellose (HPMC)
Hypromellose (HPMC): A plant-derived cellulose polymer used in vegetarian capsules and coatings. Plant-derived; generally considered permissible.
-
UnverifiedE1204
Pullulan
A capsule-shell polysaccharide from tapioca starch fermented by Aureobasidium pullulans. Secondary guides treat it as animal-free, which is why it is …
-
Source-dependent
Lactose
Depends on process. Lactose from milk by membrane filtration is halal; lactose recovered from whey is doubtful unless the coagulating enzymes were mic…
A procedure for reading a pack - not a product certification and not a fatwa. See the methodology.