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Is Carmine Halal? Cochineal (E120) and the Insect Debate

Short answer Depends

It depends on your school. Carmine is a red color made from cochineal insects [1]. Indonesia's MUI ruled in 2011 that cochineal coloring is halal if beneficial and harmless, drawing on the Maliki view of insects [3]. Many Hanafi and Shafi'i scholars prohibit insects other than locusts, so they avoid it [3][5]. If you're unsure, ask a scholar you trust.

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What the schools of thought say

SchoolViewSource
Majelis Ulama Indonesia (MUI), Fatwa No. 33 of 2011 Food and drink coloring from cochineal insects is halal as long as it is beneficial and not harmful. MUI noted that cochineal resembles the locust and has no flowing blood. [3][4]
Maliki (and others such as Ibn Abi Layla and al-Awza'i, as cited by MUI) Eating small creatures and insects (hasharat) is permissible, which is the basis MUI drew on. [3]
Hanafi and Shafi'i (as cited by MUI) Insects and similar small creatures are prohibited as food, with the locust as the recognized exception. [3]
Darul Iftaa (Mufti Ebrahim Desai), using SANHA's classification E120 cochineal is listed as haram and should be avoided because it comes from insects. [5]

What carmine is

Carmine and cochineal extract are red colors made from the cochineal insect (Dactylopius coccus), a small scale insect that lives on cactus [1][3]. The main coloring compound in both is carminic acid [1].

  • Cochineal extract is made by extracting the insects with water and alcohol, then removing the alcohol [1].
  • Carmine is made by extracting the color with water and binding it to an aluminum base to form a lake [1].

In the UK and EU the color is E120 (cochineal, carminic acid, carmines) [6].

Why scholars disagree

The question is whether eating insects is allowed. Locusts are permitted by a well-known hadith that MUI cites, which names fish and locusts as two lawful kinds of dead animal [3]. For other insects, the classical schools differ:

  • Hanafi and Shafi'i scholars generally prohibit insects and similar small creatures as food [3].
  • Maliki scholars, along with some early jurists, permit them [3].

Indonesia's council of scholars, MUI, studied cochineal specifically. Its 2011 fatwa notes that cochineal resembles the locust in some respects and has no flowing blood, and that its food-science body found it harmless. MUI concluded that cochineal coloring is halal as long as it is beneficial and not harmful [3][4].

Other scholars, including a South African Hanafi fatwa list that follows SANHA's classifications, list E120 as haram [5].

MUI also listed the scholarly evidence it weighed, including the general rule that beneficial things are permitted unless proven otherwise, and harmful things are prohibited [3].

HalalLookup presents these positions without choosing between them.

How to find it on US labels

US law makes carmine easy to spot. Since it can cause allergic reactions, any food that contains it must list it by name as "carmine" or "cochineal extract" [1][2]. It cannot hide under "color added" or "artificial color," which other natural colors can use [2].

On imported foods, look for E120, cochineal, carminic acid, or carmines [6].

A separate, smaller point: cochineal extract is made with a water and alcohol mix, and the alcohol is removed afterward [1]. For how scholars view alcohol used in processing, see alcohol (ethanol).

Carmine is often confused with Red 40, a synthetic dye with no insect source. See Red 40.

Where carmine shows up, and alternatives

Carmine is used to give pink and red shades to foods and drinks. The FDA's labeling rule specifically names butter, cheese, and ice cream as examples of foods that must declare it [1]. Fruit-flavored dairy products, red candies, and pink frostings are worth a closer look if you avoid it.

Plant-based alternatives include dehydrated beets, grape skin extract, and other vegetable colors, which the FDA lists among colors exempt from certification [2]. Synthetic Red 40 is another common substitute [2]. When a brand reformulates away from synthetic dyes, it is worth checking whether the new red is plant based or carmine.

Related pages: E120, insects, yogurt, and ice cream.

Frequently asked questions

Is E120 halal?

E120 is the code for cochineal and carmine [6]. Indonesia's MUI rules it halal if beneficial and harmless [3], while many Hanafi and Shafi'i scholars avoid it because it comes from insects [3][5]. If you're unsure, ask a scholar you trust.

Is carmine made from bugs?

Yes. Carmine and cochineal extract come from the cochineal insect, an insect that lives on cactus [1][3]. US labels must name it as carmine or cochineal extract so shoppers can identify it [2].

Is cochineal haram in the Hanafi school?

Hanafi scholars generally prohibit eating insects other than locusts [3], and a South African Hanafi fatwa list marks E120 as haram [5]. Scholars who follow the Maliki view, and Indonesia's MUI, reach a different conclusion [3].

Is carmine the same as Red 40?

No. Carmine comes from insects [1], while Red 40 is a synthetic certified color [2]. If you are avoiding insect-based colors, look for carmine, cochineal extract, or E120 on the label.

Sources

  1. 21 CFR 73.100 - Cochineal extract; carmine · Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School (US Code of Federal Regulations) · accessed
  2. Color Additives Questions and Answers for Consumers · US Food and Drug Administration · accessed
  3. Fatwa MUI No. 33 Tahun 2011 tentang Hukum Pewarna Makanan dan Minuman dari Serangga Cochineal (PDF) · Majelis Ulama Indonesia · accessed
  4. Hukum Pewarna Makanan dan Minuman dari Serangga Cochineal · Majelis Ulama Indonesia · accessed
  5. List of ingredients in ready food said to be haram (Darul Iftaa, Mufti Ebrahim Desai) · IslamQA.org (Askimam) · accessed
  6. Approved additives and E numbers · Food Standards Agency (GOV.UK) · accessed