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Editorial note: Market figures cited in this article are estimates based on publicly available industry reports and may vary by source. HalalExpo.com aims to present the most current data available but readers should verify figures for business decisions. Sources include the State of the Global Islamic Economy Report, DinarStandard, and national halal authority publications.
Carmine (E120) is considered haram by the majority of Islamic scholars. It is derived from the dried bodies of cochineal insects (Dactylopius coccus), and the majority scholarly position holds that insects are impure (najis) and prohibited as food. A minority scholarly opinion permits it. Because it is of insect origin, Muslim consumers seeking halal-certified products should avoid carmine and choose products using plant-based red colourants instead.
Carmine is a natural red pigment produced from carminic acid, which is extracted from the dried bodies of the female cochineal insect (Dactylopius coccus). These insects are scale insects that feed on prickly pear cacti in Peru, the Canary Islands, and other regions. To produce carmine, the insects are harvested, dried, and crushed; the resulting powder is processed to extract carminic acid, which is then combined with aluminium or calcium salts to produce the carmine dye.
Approximately 70,000 insects are required to produce one kilogram of carmine dye.
Carmine appears in a surprisingly wide range of products:
Carmine is listed under multiple names across different labelling systems. Check for any of the following:
Since 2011, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires food manufacturers to specifically declare "cochineal extract" or "carmine" on labels rather than hiding it under the generic term "artificial colour." The EU has required E120 declaration since earlier. However, in cosmetics, it may still appear only as "CI 75470."
The majority of contemporary Islamic scholars — including the Islamic Fiqh Council of the Muslim World League, JAKIM (Malaysia), and the majority of Egyptian and Saudi scholars — classify carmine as haram for two reasons:
A minority of scholars permit carmine on the basis that the insect undergoes significant chemical transformation (istihalah) during processing — from insect to extracted acid to dye. Under istihalah reasoning, a transformed substance may lose its original prohibited status. Some Hanafi scholars have applied this principle to permit E120.
This minority position is less widely accepted for carmine than for some other chemically transformed substances, because the processing does not constitute complete transformation — it remains recognisably derived from insect matter.
Both JAKIM and Indonesia's BPJPH categorically prohibit carmine in halal-certified products. No product carrying JAKIM or BPJPH certification will contain E120.
Several plant-derived red and pink colourants provide comparable colour to carmine and are halal without any scholarly disagreement:
Vegan-certified cosmetics will never contain carmine (CI 75470), as it is an animal-derived ingredient. This makes vegan labelling a reliable shortcut for consumers wishing to avoid carmine in makeup and personal care products.
The prohibition is the majority position across Maliki, Shafi'i, and Hanbali schools. Some Hanafi scholars have permitted it based on istihalah (complete transformation), though this is a minority view. For practical purposes — and given that plant-based red dyes are widely available — most Islamic scholars and certification bodies advise avoidance.
Yes, according to the majority scholarly position, and JAKIM-certified cosmetics do not permit carmine. Given the wide availability of carmine-free and vegan lipstick formulations, this is an easily avoidable ingredient. Check for vegan or halal certification on cosmetics.
No. "Natural colour" or "natural red colour" on a label may refer to carmine. Always check for the specific names: carmine, E120, cochineal, Natural Red 4, or CI 75470.
For a guide to halal cosmetics ingredients, see our Halal Cosmetics Ingredients Guide. To find halal-certified food and cosmetics companies, browse the HalalExpo Business Directory.
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