Food additive
Is E904 (shellac) halal?
Checker verdict DOUBTFUL
E904: a resin made by 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.
Shellac (E904)
| Position | Verdict | Held by |
|---|---|---|
| Not set | DOUBTFUL | |
| I avoid it | HARAM | |
| I accept it | HALAL |
Who says so
MUI (Indonesia) Fatwa 27/2013
“Penggunaan shellac sebagai bahan tambahan atau bahan penolong dalam produk pangan, obat-obatan dan kosmetika hukumnya halal, selama bermanfaat dan tidak membahayakan.”Original quotationRead the source
SANHA (South Africa) List of E numbers, halaalRead the source
MUIS (Singapore) Food Additive Listing, 2016
“* Syubhah / Doubtful (either by way of its source or manufacturing process)”Original quotationRead the source
GIMDES (Turkey) Additives of animal originRead 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 E904 halal?
- Verdict: doubtful. E904: a resin made by 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.