Is Glycerin (E422) Halal? Plant vs Animal Sources

Glycerin, also called glycerol or glycerine, is a sweet, thick, clear liquid. Its E-number is E422 ^[2]. In food it keeps things moist, acts as a solvent and adds a little sweetness ^[2]. You'll see it in soft baked goods, candy, frosting, flavorings and low-fat foods.

In the US, glycerin is listed as generally recognized as safe when used under good manufacturing practice ^[1]. That safety status says nothing about its source, though.

Food makers also use glycerin as a filler in low-fat foods such as cookies, and as a thickener in liqueurs ^[2]. It is sometimes paired with sugar alcohols like erythritol to soften their cooling taste ^[2]. See our sugar alcohol page.

Fats and oils are mostly triglycerides: three fatty acids joined to one glycerol. Splitting them, for example in soap making, frees the glycerol ^[2]. Common sources are soybean, palm and animal tallow ^[2].

Today, a lot of glycerin is a by-product of biodiesel, which is mostly made from plant oils ^[2]. Glycerin can also be made from propylene, a petrochemical, but that route costs more ^[2].

So one jar of "glycerin" could be from plants, animals or petroleum. The label usually won't tell you which.

For plant-based glycerin, the oil itself raises no halal question. For animal-based glycerin, two questions come up: which animal, and how it was slaughtered.

The debate is about istihalah, or transformation. If a substance changes completely into something new, some scholars say its original ruling no longer applies.

• The UK's GMWA Foodguide holds that glycerin goes through a complete change, so it is permissible in cosmetics ^[3].
• SANHA in South Africa holds that the change does not happen, so glycerin from non-halal animals stays impermissible ^[3].
• A Zambian Hanafi fatwa says animal glycerin is not permissible, but allows hard-to-avoid items like soap and lotion because of hardship ^[4].

A Canadian fatwa notes this disagreement and advises choosing products free of doubt ^[3]. If the glycerin is from a halal-slaughtered animal, there's no dispute ^[5].

• Look for "vegetable glycerin" or "plant glycerin." That settles the source.
• Look for halal certification. A certifier checks the glycerin's source for you.
• Ask the company if the label just says "glycerin" and the product is something you eat often.

A kosher mark is not the same as a halal mark, because the two systems have different rules. See our kosher vs halal guide.

Glycerin is closely related to mono- and diglycerides, which are also made from fats and can come from plants or animals. Animal fat itself, like beef tallow, raises the same slaughter question. Because glycerin works as a solvent ^[2], it can also turn up in flavorings, so check our vanilla extract page too.