isithalal.food

Is it Halal? Check any food in seconds.

Search a food, ingredient, E-number or brand, or scan the label on the pack. Every answer shows why, with its sources.

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Popular checks

Clear guidance with sources, not just yes or no

Every food is grouped into one of five categories, with the reason and the sources behind it.

  1. HoneyFood

    Status

    Halal

    Pure honey is Halal by Quranic mention and scholarly consensus. Buy it as a single ingredient.

    View full analysis →

  2. BaconMeat

    Status

    Haram

    Traditional bacon is pork. Beef or turkey “bacon” needs Halal slaughter and certification.

    View full analysis →

  3. E471Food additive

    Status

    Halal if verified

    May be made from vegetable oil or animal fat. Check the manufacturer, vegan status or Halal certification.

    View full analysis →

  4. HariboBrand

    Status

    Market-dependent

    Many standard fruit gums use pork gelatin; Halal lines use beef gelatin. Check the country and gelatin line on your bag.

    View full analysis →

  5. ShrimpSeafood

    Status

    Scholarly difference

    Permitted by many scholars, while many Hanafi authorities do not treat shrimp as fish. The ruling follows your school.

    View full analysis →

Browse by what you are checking

Ingredients and additives

Gelatin, rennet, whey, enzymes and other source-sensitive ingredients.

E-numbers

Check whether an additive is plant-based, synthetic, animal-derived or source-dependent.

Brands and restaurants

See product- and country-specific information for well-known brands.

Meat and prepared food

Understand slaughter, casing, stock and preparation requirements.

Regional food

Check traditional foods and common preparation concerns by region.

Sweets and desserts

Gelatin, carmine, shellac and alcohol-based flavourings in sweets, jellies and desserts.

How the checker works

  1. Enter the name you see

    Type the food, ingredient, E-number or brand as written on the pack or menu.

  2. Read the status in context

    The status is the headline; the reason says what it depends on.

  3. Verify the item in hand

    Check your exact pack, outlet and country, and any Halal mark.

Why “Is this Halal?” is not always one word

A few foods are clear-cut: pork is Haram, fresh fruit and vegetables are Halal. Most packaged food isn't. The same product can go either way on a single detail: the fat it uses, the rennet, the factory, or the country it's made for.

Read the Halal guide →

Chocolate bar
  • Plant fat and plant-based E471Halal
  • Animal fat, source not statedHalal if verified
Cheese
  • Microbial rennetHalal
  • Animal rennetScholarly difference

Where the answers come from

Islamic foundations

Clear principles are grounded in recognised Islamic sources.

Certification evidence

Certification is assessed by product, facility and market.

Manufacturer information

Official ingredients and product statements help establish what is actually sold.

Regulatory guidance

Label definitions help explain additives and production terminology.

Read our full editorial methodology →

The small words that can change the answer

Gelatin

May be fish, bovine, porcine or another animal source. Species alone is not always enough.

E471

Mono- and diglycerides can come from plants or animals. The code does not reveal the origin.

Rennet in cheese

Microbial enzymes and animal rennet lead to different checks.

Flavouring

Broad label terms may hide alcohol carriers or meat-derived notes.

Meat

Permissible species still need slaughter, casing, stock and supplier checks.

Enzymes & glycerin

Source and processing often decide whether the finished ingredient is Halal.

A Halal scanner for real shopping decisions

At the supermarket

Check unfamiliar ingredients and E‑numbers before they go in the trolley.

At a restaurant

Ask where the meat comes from; certification can differ by branch.

While travelling

The same brand can have a different recipe or certificate abroad.

Open the scanner How the Halal scanner works

Find Halal restaurants

Big chains give different answers in different countries. See each one's Halal status market by market, plus local restaurants with what their claim covers.

Open the restaurant finder

McDonald's Halal status by country

KFC Halal status by country

Halal versions of dishes that usually aren't

Each recipe swaps out the pork, alcohol or gelatin, and says which labels to check.

All recipes →

Frequently asked questions

Can a food be Halal in one country and Halal if verified in another?

Yes. International brands may use different factories, suppliers, recipes and certification bodies. Check the market-specific evidence for the product sold where you are.

Does “vegetarian” mean Halal?

Not necessarily. Vegetarian products exclude meat, but they may still contain alcohol, alcohol-based flavouring or other ingredients that need a separate Halal assessment. Vegetarian labelling can help, but it is not Halal certification.

Are all E-numbers Haram or doubtful?

No. Many additives are plant-based, mineral, microbial or synthetic and are generally permissible. Others depend on their source. Search the exact E-number rather than treating every code as suspicious.

Is uncertified meat automatically Haram?

The site does not use one slogan for every country and scholarly approach. When slaughter is not publicly verified, the practical status is usually “Halal if verified”, with a prompt to check the supplier or a trusted certifier.

Does isithalal.food issue fatwas or certificates?

No. The site publishes researched informational guidance. It is not a Halal certification body and does not replace a qualified local scholar, certifier or the evidence on the product itself.

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