Is E120 (carmine) halal?

E120 — carmine or cochineal red — is a colouring made from dried, crushed cochineal insects. You will find it in some sweets, red-coloured drinks, strawberry yoghurts and cosmetics.

Eating insects is considered impermissible by the majority of scholars (notably the Hanafi school), which is why most halal certifiers exclude E120. A minority view tolerates it because of the processing involved, but it remains marginal.

In practice, most Muslim consumers avoid it. Look for plant-based alternatives instead: E162 (beetroot red) and E163 (anthocyanins) are perfectly halal.