Carmine or cochineal (E120)

Carmine (E120) is a red color made from the dried bodies of cochineal insects. Darul Fatwa's school (Shafi^iyy) forbids eating insects other than locusts, and treats dead insects as najis (impure), so carmine is Haram, in cosmetics too. Processing does not change this. Scholars differ: see the note.

Food	Cosmetics & personal care	Medicine
Haram	Haram	Medicine note

Concern

Scholars differ

The schools of Islamic law differ on this ingredient. We follow Darul Fatwa's school and show a Scholars differ note with what the other schools say.

Scholars differ

Darul Fatwa's school (Shafi^iyy) forbids eating insects and treats dead insects as impure, so carmine is not permitted. The Malikiyy school permits insects, and some fatwa bodies permit carmine: Egypt's Dar al-Ifta and Indonesia's MUI (Majelis Ulama Indonesia).

What clears it

Nothing can clear this, because the problem is the ingredient itself.

Also listed as: E120

What our sources say

Darulfatwa – Islamic High Council of Australia · الثقافة الإسلامية بتقريظ الأزهرالقسم الأول من ج5

النَّجَاسَةُ مِنْهَا: الْبَوْلُ، وَالْغَائِطُ، وَالدَّمُ، وَالْقَيْحُ، وَالْقَىْءُ، وَالْخَمْرَةُ، وَالْمَيْتَةُ سِوَى السَّمَكِ وَالْجَرَادِ وَالآدَمِىُّ وَكَذَلِكَ عَظْمُهَا وَشَعْرُهَا.

Translation “Among the kinds of najasah are: urine, feces, blood, pus, vomit, khamr, and maytah other than fish, locusts and humans, and likewise its bones and hair.”

Source page · archived copy · retrieved Sep 22, 2026

Certification Center "Halal" · Требования

Из дозволенных животных ничего не разрешено употреблять в пищу, не зарезав его, кроме морских обитателей и саранчи.

Translation “Of the permitted animals, nothing may be eaten without slaughtering it, except sea creatures and locusts.”

Page of the older WordPress site (2015); no longer online. · Source page · archived copy · retrieved Sep 22, 2026

Darulfatwa – Islamic High Council of Australia · متن أبي شجاع في الفقه الشافعي

ولنا ميتتان حلالان: السمك والجراد، ودمان حلالان: الكبد والطحال.

Translation “We have two kinds of maytah that are halal: fish and locusts; and two kinds of blood that are halal: the liver and the spleen.”

Source page · archived copy · retrieved Sep 22, 2026

Certification Center "Halal" · Центр сертифікації «Халяль» (home page)

Допоміжна сировина (ферменти, добавки (ароматизатори, барвники, консерванти, стабілізатори, загусники, наповнювачі, підсилювачі смаку та аромату), спеції тощо), отримані з органів або частин заборонених тварин або мертвечини, або методом переробки комах, або ж що містять у собі заборонені речовини або нечистоти, або отримані в результаті зіткнення та обробки вищезазначеними компонентами.

halal.ua's own English “Auxiliary raw materials (enzymes, additives (flavors, colors, preservatives, stabilizers, thickeners, fillers, flavor and aroma enhancers), spices, etc.) obtained from organs or parts of prohibited animals or carcasses, or by processing insects, or containing prohibited substances or impurities, or obtained as a result of contact and processing of the above components.”

Source page · archived copy · retrieved Sep 22, 2026

Darulfatwa – Islamic High Council of Australia · متن أبي شجاع في الفقه الشافعي

والميتة كلها نجسة إلا السمك والجراد والآدمي

Translation “and all maytah is najis except fish, locusts and humans”

Source page · archived copy · retrieved Sep 22, 2026

Darulfatwa – Islamic High Council of Australia · متن أبي شجاع في الفقه الشافعي

وما لا نفس له سائلة إذا وقع في الإناء ومات فيه فإنه لا ينجسه

Translation “A creature that has no flowing blood, if it falls into a vessel and dies in it, does not make it najis”

Source page · archived copy · retrieved Sep 22, 2026

All sources →

Other sources: www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-A/part-73/subpart-A/section-73.100

Zulal Standard v0 (beta) · pending scholar review · Report a mistake