E491 Sorbitan monostearate: Halal or Haram?

Doubtful

An emulsifier and anti-crystallising agent. E491 (Sorbitan monostearate) is doubtful.

Plant oil or animal fat: the label does not say which

Why it is doubtful

Stearate can come from plant or animal fat.

Halal or not depends on what it is made from

E491 is Mushbooh: Halal when it comes from plants or a Halal source, not when it comes from pork.

Made from	Verdict	Why
Plant oils (such as palm)	Halal	No animal involved
Fat from a Halal-slaughtered animal	Halal	Lawful animal, slaughtered correctly
Fat from an animal not slaughtered the Islamic way	Haram	Not slaughtered correctly (see the scholarly view: some schools accept it after chemical change)
Pork fat	Haram	Pork
Halal-certified product	Halal	A certifier checked the source
Source not stated on the label	Mushbooh	European labels do not have to say which

Scholarly view

Schools of law

Hanafi · Maliki · Shafi'i · HanbaliStearic acid made from plants — or from a cow slaughtered the Islamic way (zabiha) — is Halal. From pig fat, or from a cow that was not slaughtered that way, it is not. The four schools differ on one point only: when a forbidden source has been chemically changed into a new substance (istihala), Hanafi and Maliki accept it, Shafi'i and Hanbali do not. If the label doesn't say where it came from, all four advise avoiding it.

Depends on source

Certification bodies

SANHA"Check source of stearic acid" — synthesised from stearic acid, which is animal or vegetable.SANHA — E572 ↗

Doubtful

Dept. of Islamic Development Malaysia / Halal Food Authority, UKPlant-sourced stearates (E570, E572, E481–E495) are cleared. An animal (tallow) source has to be verified, and pork or improperly slaughtered sources are rejected.JAKIM — Halal Malaysia Portal ↗HFA FAQ ↗

Verify source

Fatwa councils, scholars and other sources

Modern food practiceFood-grade stearates are typically vegetable (palm); the supplement supply chain leans more on animal fat.

Leans permissible

Undisclosed sourceManufacturers rarely say which fat they used, so without certification it stays doubtful.

Doubtful

Only views with a published source are listed.

Where you meet it

Chocolate coatings, cake icing, yeast.

What to do in the shop

Look for a product that names the source, says plant-based or vegan, or carries a Halal certificate. If nothing on the packet settles it, the manufacturer can tell you, and their answer is the only thing that turns E491 from a question into an answer.

A status here describes the additive in general, and a specific product can be different. The same number can be made from plant or animal material depending on the manufacturer, and the label does not say which.

Questions people ask

Is E491 Halal?

E491 (Sorbitan monostearate) is doubtful. Stearate can come from plant or animal fat.

How do I know if the E491 in a product is Halal?

Only the manufacturer can tell you which source they used, unless the packet says plant-based, vegan, or carries a Halal certificate.

Related additives

See all E-numbers →

Read this in Turkish: E491 helal mi? →

Products we asked the manufacturer about →

Check a product, not just a number

An additive's status describes the additive in general. What matters is the whole ingredient list on the packet in your hand.

This is information, not a fatwa. These statuses combine published scholarly positions with ingredient analysis, and they can be incomplete or out of date. For anything that matters, confirm with the manufacturer and with a qualified authority.