What about food with unclear ingredients or E-numbers?
Short answer
If you do not know whether an ingredient is lawful, the matter is doubtful. The Prophet ﷺ taught that between the clear lawful and the clear unlawful are doubtful matters, and whoever avoids them has protected his religion. Check the label, look up the source of codes such as E471 or E441 on the ingredient list on this page, or contact the maker. If it stays unclear, leave it.
"Waɗanda suke sunã bin Manzo, Annabi, Ummiyyi wanda suke sãmun sa rubũce a wurinsu, a cikin Attaura da Linjĩla.
Hadith
Sahih al-Bukhari 52
Narrated An-Nu'man bin Bashir: I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saying, 'Both legal and illegal things are evident but in between them there are doubtful (suspicious) things and most of the people have no knowledge about them. So whoever saves himself from these suspicious things saves his religion and his honor. And whoever indulges in these suspicious things is like a shepherd who grazes (his animals) near the Hima (private pasture) of someone else and at any moment he is liable to get in it. (O people!) Beware! Every king has a Hima and the Hima of Allah on the earth is His illegal (forbidden) things. Beware! There is a piece of flesh in the body if it becomes good (reformed) the whole body becomes good but if it gets spoilt the whole body gets spoilt and that is the heart
This is general information, not a fatwa. For your own situation, ask a qualified scholar.
Questions about halal and haram
What about food with unclear ingredients or E-numbers?
If you do not know whether an ingredient is lawful, the matter is doubtful. The Prophet ﷺ taught that between the clear lawful and the clear unlawful are doubtful matters, and whoever avoids them has protected his religion. Check the label, look up the source of codes such as E471 or E441 on the ingredient list on this page, or contact the maker. If it stays unclear, leave it.
