Is E120 halal?
E120 is haram (forbidden). E120 — Cochineal, Carminic acid, Carmine (Natural Red 4) — is used in food as colour. This ruling follows from its raw material: E120 is obtained from an animal source that the halal standard we apply does not permit. Only a version of E120 produced from permitted, halal-slaughtered animals and certified as such would change that — look for a halal mark on the specific product.
Automated classification, not a religious ruling. No scholar or certification body has reviewed this assessment — always check the product's own halal certification.
What is E120?
Cochineal, Carminic acid, Carmine (Natural Red 4). Food colouring (crimson)
Where does E120 come from?
E120 is animal-derived. Whether it is halal therefore depends on the source animal and how it was slaughtered, which the ingredient list never states — check the product's certification.
Sourcing and scholarly views on E120
Not every authority reads an additive like E120 the same way. Certification bodies applying the OIC/SMIIC standard require the animal source itself to be permitted and halal-slaughtered — the stricter reading this site follows. The European Council for Fatwa and Research, in a ruling relayed by Islamweb, holds that additives so deeply transformed that the original substance disappears (istihala) become pure and permissible. Readers who follow that lenient position may reach a different conclusion than the verdict shown here.
E120 is where the schools of law genuinely part ways. The Hanafi position holds insects impermissible to eat, which makes an insect-derived colour impermissible too — the reading most certification bodies apply. The Maliki school permits eating insects, and Indonesia's fatwa commission (MUI) has ruled cochineal permissible on the ground that the insect lives on plants and is not harmful. A product certified halal by an authority following that ruling can therefore legitimately contain E120.
- Islamweb fatwa 286777 — the European Council for Fatwa and Research's four-category ruling on E-additives (in Arabic)
- Islamweb fatwa 83073 — ingredients on foods with code numbers: purity and transformation principles
- Islamweb fatwa 219985 — E-numbered preservatives: verification before prohibition (in Arabic)
| Function | Colour |
|---|---|
| Is E120 vegetarian? | Not suitable for vegetarians |
| Approved in the EU | Yes |
| Approved in the US | Yes |
| Food-safety regulator | U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Food safety only — not a halal authority. |
E120 is identified internationally as Codex/INS 120.
EU approval: Yes.
US approval: Yes.
Vegetarian status: Not suitable for vegetarians.
Products containing E120
Products in our database that list E120 among their ingredients:
- Peanut — M&M's (Haram)
- M&M's peanut — Mars Wrigley (Haram)
- Monster Pacific Punch — Monster Energy (Haram)
- Gout Bacon — Tuc (Haram)
- Yogur Proteínas Fresa 0% — Hacendado (Haram)
- Tim Tam — Arnott's (Halal)
How this verdict was reached
E120 is derived from an animal source that the halal rules do not permit.
Maintained and reviewed by the Halal & Healthy team. About Halal & Healthy · Read the full methodology
What this is based on
The classification of E120 rests on public records rather than opinion: the Open Food Facts taxonomy supplies the origin signal and the technological function, the UK Food Standards Agency register confirms authorisation status, and Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012 defines which raw materials it may legally be made from.
Frequently asked questions
Is E120 halal?
E120 is haram (forbidden). E120 — Cochineal, Carminic acid, Carmine (Natural Red 4) — is used in food as colour. This ruling follows from its raw material: E120 is obtained from an animal source that the halal standard we apply does not permit. Only a version of E120 produced from permitted, halal-slaughtered animals and certified as such would change that — look for a halal mark on the specific product.
Where does E120 come from?
E120 is animal-derived. Whether it is halal therefore depends on the source animal and how it was slaughtered, which the ingredient list never states — check the product's certification.
Do all scholars agree on E120?
Not every authority reads an additive like E120 the same way. Certification bodies applying the OIC/SMIIC standard require the animal source itself to be permitted and halal-slaughtered — the stricter reading this site follows. The European Council for Fatwa and Research, in a ruling relayed by Islamweb, holds that additives so deeply transformed that the original substance disappears (istihala) become pure and permissible. Readers who follow that lenient position may reach a different conclusion than the verdict shown here. E120 is where the schools of law genuinely part ways. The Hanafi position holds insects impermissible to eat, which makes an insect-derived colour impermissible too — the reading most certification bodies apply. The Maliki school permits eating insects, and Indonesia's fatwa commission (MUI) has ruled cochineal permissible on the ground that the insect lives on plants and is not harmful. A product certified halal by an authority following that ruling can therefore legitimately contain E120.
How does E120 relate to Codex/INS numbering and regional food-safety rules?
E120 is identified internationally as Codex/INS 120. EU approval: Yes. US approval: Yes. Vegetarian status: Not suitable for vegetarians.
How this verdict was reached
E120 is derived from an animal source that the halal rules do not permit.
Which additives are related to E120?
Same function — Colour: E122, E123, E124, E127; Also animal-derived: E428, E542, E630, E632; Same E-number series — Colours: E121, E125, E126, E128
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