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Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura

Ethanol (English)

Natural ethanol in Halal food flavouring.

Last updated 21 February 2025

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم الحمد لله رب العالمين ، والصلاة والسلام على سيد المرسلين وإمام المتقين نبينا محمد وعلى آله وأصحابه أجمعين. اللهم أرنا الحق حقا وارزقنا اتباعه، وأرنا الباطل باطلا وارزقنا اجتنابه .

The Fatwa Committee has received a question from the Halal Certification Strategic Unit, MUIS, on the use of natural ethanol in halal food flavouring/coloring.

After research and gathering information on ethanol product, the Fatwa Committee finds that the ethanol content in food flavorings (which are used as solvents) is less than 0.5%. This percentage is not at the intoxicating level.

The ethanol used is not produced from prohibited products like khamr. Hence, it is not considered impure.

The permissibility of using ethanol is exclusively for the purpose of flavoring. Ethanol used in a food or beverage product not for the purpose of flavoring is not permitted.

The Fatwa Committee opines that the use of ethanol (natural and synthetic) as a solvent is allowed as long as it is not produced from prohibited products. The content of ethanol in the flavoring should not exceed 0.5%, and the content of ethanol in the end-product should not exceed 0.1%.

الله أعلم ، وبالله التوفيق ، وصلى الله على سيدنا محمد وعلى أله وصحبه وسلم