Guides
Halal, explained clearly.
Ingredient explainers and scholarly-consensus guides from the SafaScan team — the same reasoning that powers every scan.
Is shrimp halal? A guide across the four madhabs
Shellfish is one of the most-asked questions in halal eating. Here's what each madhab says about shrimp — and how scholars reach different conclusions from the same texts.
Read guide →Is gelatin halal? Porcine, bovine and fish gelatin explained
Pork gelatin is haram by consensus and fish gelatin is halal — but bovine gelatin from non-halal slaughter divides the madhabs. Here's the reasoning, and the alternatives to look for.
Read guide →Are marshmallows halal? Gelatin sources, brands and alternatives
Most marshmallows get their bounce from pork gelatin. How to read the label, which brands are halal-certified, and the vegan swaps that work for s'mores.
Read guide →Is vanilla extract halal? Pure, essence and imitation vanilla explained
Pure vanilla extract uses a trace alcohol carrier, but scholars across the madhabs generally permit it because it is not intoxicating. Here's how vanilla extract, essence, and imitation vanilla differ.
Read guide →Is Red 40 halal? Allura Red AC (E129) explained
Red 40 is synthetic and halal by scholarly consensus — but it's constantly confused with insect-derived carmine (E120). Here's how to tell them apart on a label.
Read guide →Halal candy and gummies: what to check before you buy
Most candy and gummies are not halal because of pork gelatin, carmine, shellac, or alcohol-based flavourings. Learn which ingredients to avoid and which brands are halal-certified.
Read guide →Halal & Haram ingredients: the master list
A reference for common food additives, E-numbers, emulsifiers, and enzymes — with halal, haram, and mushbooh status and scholarly reasoning across madhabs.
Read guide →Is red wine vinegar halal? Wine vinegar and istihalah explained
Is red wine vinegar halal? Most scholars permit fully transformed wine vinegar because the intoxicating alcohol is gone. Here's how istihalah is viewed across the four Sunni madhabs.
Read guide →Is cheese halal? Rennet, whey and madhab differences explained
Is cheese halal? It depends on the rennet. Learn the difference between microbial and animal rennet, why the Hanafi school permits more cheese, and what to look for on the label.
Read guide →Is mirin halal? Alcohol content and halal substitutes
Traditional hon-mirin is a 14% alcohol rice wine, so most scholars rule it impermissible. Here's how the three kinds of mirin differ — and the rice vinegar substitute that works one-for-one.
Read guide →Is Pocky halal? Flavours, gelatin and alcohol flags explained
Pocky is halal-certified in Malaysia and Indonesia but not in the US or UK. Which flavours are safest, and which ingredients on the pack make a variety doubtful.
Read guide →How to tell if food is halal: a 5-step label check
Certification mark, meat source, gelatin, emulsifiers and E-numbers, then flavourings for alcohol. Twenty seconds per label — or scan the barcode instead.
Read guide →