Is E338 halal?
E338 is generally considered halal. E338 — Orthophosphoric acid — is used in food as antioxidant, sequestrant. The assessment is straightforward here: E338 is produced from plant or mineral raw materials, a category Islamic dietary law accepts in food. That holds regardless of brand, so a product is not made doubtful by containing E338 alone.
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 E338?
Orthophosphoric acid. Acid
Where does E338 come from?
E338 is obtained from plant, mineral or synthetic sources, so it raises no animal-derivation concern on its own.
Sourcing and scholarly views on E338
There is no significant scholarly disagreement over additives like E338. Substances of plant, mineral or synthetic origin are permissible across the schools of Islamic law, under the principle that foods are permitted unless specifically prohibited — the position the European Council for Fatwa and Research applies to plant-derived and synthetic E-numbers. The practical question scholars do raise is cross-contamination during manufacturing, which is a matter for product certification rather than for the additive itself.
- 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 | Antioxidant, Sequestrant |
|---|---|
| Is E338 vegetarian? | Suitable for vegetarians |
| Approved in the EU | Yes |
| Food-safety regulator | U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Food safety only — not a halal authority. |
E338 is identified internationally as Codex/INS 338.
EU approval: Yes.
Vegetarian status: Suitable for vegetarians.
Products containing E338
Products in our database that list E338 among their ingredients:
- Pepsi — Pepsi (Halal)
- Coke 20z — coke (Halal)
- Coca Cola — Coca-Cola (Halal)
- Coca-Cola Original — COCA-COLA SERVICES SA/NV (Halal)
- Coca-Cola Original Taste — COCA-COLA SERVICES SA/NV, Coca-Cola (Halal)
- Coca-Cola Zero 500ml — COCA-COLA SERVICES SA/NV (Halal)
- Coca-Cola sans sucres — COCA-COLA SERVICES SA/NV (Halal)
- Coca-Cola Original — Coca-Cola (Halal)
- Cola 500 Ml (Halal)
- Coca-Cola Zero Sugar — Coca-Cola (Halal)
- Dr Pepper — Dr Pepper (Halal)
- Coke Original Taste — Coke (Halal)
How this verdict was reached
E338 is made from plant or mineral raw materials, with no animal input.
Maintained and reviewed by the Halal & Healthy team. About Halal & Healthy · Read the full methodology
What this is based on
The classification of E338 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 E338 halal?
E338 is generally considered halal. E338 — Orthophosphoric acid — is used in food as antioxidant, sequestrant. The assessment is straightforward here: E338 is produced from plant or mineral raw materials, a category Islamic dietary law accepts in food. That holds regardless of brand, so a product is not made doubtful by containing E338 alone.
Where does E338 come from?
E338 is obtained from plant, mineral or synthetic sources, so it raises no animal-derivation concern on its own.
Do all scholars agree on E338?
There is no significant scholarly disagreement over additives like E338. Substances of plant, mineral or synthetic origin are permissible across the schools of Islamic law, under the principle that foods are permitted unless specifically prohibited — the position the European Council for Fatwa and Research applies to plant-derived and synthetic E-numbers. The practical question scholars do raise is cross-contamination during manufacturing, which is a matter for product certification rather than for the additive itself.
How does E338 relate to Codex/INS numbering and regional food-safety rules?
E338 is identified internationally as Codex/INS 338. EU approval: Yes. Vegetarian status: Suitable for vegetarians.
How this verdict was reached
E338 is made from plant or mineral raw materials, with no animal input.
Which additives are related to E338?
Same function — Antioxidant: E334, E330, E300, E384; Same E-number series — Antioxidants and acidity regulators: E337, E339, E336, E340
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