Which sweets are halal? An easy-to-understand explanation.

As a Muslim in Germany, you are often faced with the challenge of determining whether sweets are halal - that is, permitted under Islamic law - or not. This article clearly explains which food additives in sweets are forbidden (haram) for Muslims. This helps parents find out which sweets Muslim children can eat, for example when planning a birthday party.

In principle, everything that is not explicitly forbidden (haram) is permitted (halal) in Islam. Which ingredients in sweets are explicitly forbidden and therefore must not be consumed by Muslims? Here is a list:

• Pork gelatin
• Carmine (E120)
• Shellac (E904)
• Cysteine (E920/921)
• Ethanol alcohol
• Cross-contamination

Pork gelatin - the binding agent in sweets

Gelatin is used in the production of sweets to make them gel and achieve a certain texture, as well as to act as a binding agent. Gelatin is made by boiling down the bones, skins, tendons, cartilage and ligaments of animals. In Europe, 80% of edible gelatin comes from pigs and therefore ends up in sweets. This is problematic for Muslims, as the Quran explicitly prohibits the consumption of pork. Surah 5, verse states:

“Forbidden to you are carrion, blood, the flesh of swine, and that over which a name other than Allah’s has been invoked, and animals strangled, beaten to death, killed by a fall or gored, and those mauled by wild animals – …”

Alternatively, beef gelatin can be used in sweets. However, beef gelatin is only suitable for Muslims if it comes from cattle slaughtered according to Islamic guidelines.

Another option is sweets made entirely without gelatin. However, we explain in this article why vegan sweets are not necessarily halal.

Carmine (E120) – the colorant from lice

Carmine is a food additive obtained by drying and boiling lice. The female lice used for this come from Central America and are called cochineal scale insects. Carmine is used as a red coloring in sweets. It should be noted that carmine is the only colorant of animal origin. Carmine is also known as “true carmine,” carminic acid, or cochineal. Scholars disagree on whether carmine is halal or haram. Due to the unresolved question and the uncertainty associated with it, we advise against consuming carmine.

Shellac (E904) – the excretion of the lac insect

Shellac is an excretion from the lac insect, which is found in Central America. The consistency of shellac is similar to resin. The female lac insect feeds on and fills itself with the sap of trees and plants. This sap changes into lacquer inside the insect's body. The insect forms a protective shell from this lacquer for its eggs until the young hatch and bore their way out through the layer of lacquer. The insect's excretion, called shellac, is scraped from trees, boiled, and processed into the food additive E904 shellac. Shellac (E904) is used in sweets as a glazing agent to provide shine and binding.

Whether shellac is haram or halal is disputed among scholars. Scholars who classify shellac as haram base this on the prohibition against consuming excrement.

Other scholars, in turn, classify shellac as halal. For example, scholars at Al-Azhar University in Cairo say that the production of shellac is like the production of honey, where bee nectar is transformed into honey.

Cysteine (E920/E921) – sometimes contains pig bristles

Cysteine is a food additive and is often called cystine, L-cysteine, or L-cystine. Cysteine can be produced synthetically or obtained from keratin. The keratin needed for cysteine can be obtained from horns, feathers, hair, or pig bristles. In 2011, the EU banned the use of human hair to obtain keratin or cysteine.

Cysteine is used to break down the gluten in flour. This makes the dough easier to knead. It also prevents the dough from sticking to the machines, speeding up production. Cysteine can therefore be found in bread, rolls, and various dough products. Since cysteine does not necessarily always contain pig bristles, if cysteine (E920/E921) is listed in the ingredients, you should ask the manufacturer about its production process.

Ethanol – alcohol in flavourings

Flavourings are used in the food industry to give foods such as sweets a particular aroma or taste. These flavourings often contain ethanol or alcohol as a carrier.

Cross-contamination – contamination caused by the mixing of traces

Even if sweets do not contain any of the ingredients mentioned above, there is a risk that they may not be considered halal if cross-contamination occurs. Cross-contamination can happen when sweets are produced in industrial facilities where non-halal products (such as those containing pork) are also made. In this case, traces of “non-halal” substances can be transferred to the sweets, meaning they cannot be classified as “halal.”

Looking for a sweet gift for Ramadan or Eid al-Fitr? Here you'll find our Ramadan gifts – halal-certified sweets as a gift box, tin, or bundle.

You can buy halal sweets.