How to read a label

The ingredients list is the evidence. Marketing copy is not.

1. Find the list, not the front. Natural and a green leaf are claims. The legally required list is the one we parse.
2. Circle every E-number and every animal-capable name. E471, E120, E904, gelatin, glycerin, enzymes, flavouring, magnesium stearate.
3. The code is not the feedstock. If the pack does not say plant or animal, the row is source-dependent.
4. A recognised halal mark is product-level evidence. An educational PDF from the same certifier is not a mark on this pack.
5. A genuine vegan statement rules out animal fat and gelatin. It does not settle alcohol carriers.
6. US packs often skip E-numbers. Search the common name as well as the code.
7. Paste the whole list when it is long. Paste a label flags every matched additive at once.