What is carmine?
Carmine is a deep red pigment extracted from cochineal, small insects that live on prickly pear cactus. It's used in red and pink yogurts, candies, fruit drinks, ice creams, and some processed meats.
Since 2011, the US Food and Drug Administration has required carmine and cochineal extract to be named on food labels, so in US products it shouldn't hide behind a generic "color added."
What do scholars say?
Eating insects, with locusts as the well-known exception, is not permissible according to many scholars. Many Maliki scholars take a more permissive view of insects. Some contemporary scholars also discuss whether the tiny amount of carmine used as a color changes the analysis.
Halal certifiers are not uniform on carmine either. This is a genuine difference of scholarly opinion, not a case of hidden pork or alcohol, so it's reasonable for practicing Muslims to land in different places.
How to avoid it if you choose to
- Check the ingredient list for any of the names above.
- Red colors from beet, paprika, lycopene, or anthocyanins (such as black carrot or purple sweet potato) are plant-based.
- Synthetic Red 40 is not insect-derived.
How Mutahhir handles it
Carmine is flagged and the result says plainly that scholars differ, so you can decide according to the position you follow.
Common questions
Is cochineal the same as carmine?
Yes. Cochineal is the insect and the extract; carmine is the pigment made from it. Both appear on labels, along with E120 and natural red 4.
Is Red 40 halal?
Red 40 is a synthetic color and isn't made from insects or animals. It doesn't raise the carmine question.