Food additive · colour
Is E120 (cochineal) halal?
Checker verdict DOUBTFUL
E120: a color made from an insect. Opinions differ.
What to know
Serious bodies do not agree on this point. Midad does not decide for you: if you do not set it, the verdict stays cautious.
What changes with your criterion
The bodies do not agree on this point. Here is what each position gives and who holds it.
Carmine (E120)
| Position | Verdict | Held by |
|---|---|---|
| Not set | DOUBTFUL | |
| I avoid it | HARAM | |
| I accept it | HALAL |
Who says so
MUI (Indonesia) Fatwa 33/2011
“food and drink colorings derived from Cochineal are halal as long as they are beneficial and not harmful”Original quotationRead the source
Muzakarah of the National Fatwa Council (Malaysia) Decision no. 100, 2012 (JAKIM compilation, pp. 178-179)
“penggunaan bahan pewarna cochineal dalam makanan, minuman dan barang gunaan adalah diharuskan”Original quotationRead the source
SANHA (South Africa) List of E numbers, haraam
“E-number: 120 Name: Carminic Acid [...] Status: Haraam Source: From insect Cochineal”Original quotationRead the source
GIMDES (Turkey) Additives of animal originRead the source
Mufti of the Federal Territories (Malaysia) Irsyad al-Fatwa 817
“Penggunaan bahan pewarna yang diperolehi daripada serangga kumbang (cochineal) bagi tujuan makanan mahupun minuman adalah tidak dibenarkan berdasarkan pandangan jumhur fuqaha”Original quotationRead the source
Not a certification. Midad reads and informs. It is neither a certification nor a religious ruling. This verdict comes from the same engine as the app and the checker on the home page. Method and sources. Data read on 10 November 2026.
Check a whole list
Paste the full ingredients list: the word that decides is circled.
Frequently asked questions
- Is E120 halal?
- Verdict: doubtful. E120: a color made from an insect. Opinions differ.
- Why can the verdict change?
- Because certification bodies do not always agree, and because the label does not always say where an ingredient comes from. Midad shows what is certain, what depends on your criterion and what the label does not say.
- Is this a certification?
- No. Midad reads the name of an ingredient and compares it with a base of cited rules. A certification is asked of the producer; a religious ruling, of a qualified person.
Doubt about this verdict?
If you think it is wrong, say so: every mistake is corrected and published.