Is Halal or Not exists to give clear, sourced answers to “is this halal?” — for ingredients, additives and products. Here is exactly how we reach each verdict.
Each verdict is based on (1) what the substance is actually made from — drawn from food-science and additive references — and (2) the rulings of recognised halal authorities, including IFANCA, JAKIM, MUIS and mainstream scholarly positions (e.g. IslamQA). Every page lists its sources.
Some ingredients are genuinely contested (for example carmine, or alcohol-based vanilla). In those cases we show the differing positions rather than presenting one opinion as the single answer, and we label the verdict “doubtful”.
Manufacturers change recipes, and the same brand can differ by region. Every page shows when it was last verified. For products specifically, we always advise checking the current label — our guidance is a starting point, not a live guarantee.