Mushbooh — Doubtful E-Codes
Mushbooh (مشبوه) is Arabic for "doubtful." An E-code gets this status when it can be halal or haram depending on its source — and the label doesn't tell you which. It is not automatically forbidden. It requires one extra check before you decide.
There are currently 135 Mushbooh E-codes in our database.
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Source-dependent
The same E-code can be made from plant oils (halal) or animal fats (potentially haram). Manufacturers choose based on cost — the label won't say which.
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Scholar disagreement
Some additives have genuine differences between madhabs. What one school permits, another treats with caution. Madhab notes are shown on each E-code page.
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Not automatically haram
Mushbooh is not a verdict of forbidden — it is a flag to check. Once you verify the source or find halal certification, the uncertainty is resolved.
What to do when you see a Mushbooh code
- 1 Check for halal certification on the packaging — a credible halal mark (HMC, HFA, IFANCA) means the source has been verified. That overrides the Mushbooh flag.
- 2 Read the individual E-code page — click any code below to see its specific source concern, common plant-based alternatives, and what to look for on labels.
- 3 Contact the manufacturer — a short email ("Is [code] in this product plant-derived or animal-derived?") usually gets a clear answer from technical teams.
- 4 When in doubt, choose an alternative — most food categories have products that avoid Mushbooh codes entirely or carry halal certification.
Most commonly encountered Mushbooh codes
E100 E101 E103 E104 E105 E110 E122 E123
Curcumin/Turmeric
Yellow/orange food coloring
Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
Yellow food coloring and nutritional supplement
Chrysoine Resocinol
Yellow food coloring
Quinoline Yellow
Greenish-yellow food coloring
Fast Yellow AB
Yellow food coloring
Sunset Yellow FCF / Orange Yellow S
Orange-yellow food coloring
Carmoisine / Azorubine
Red food coloring
Amaranth
Dark red/purple food coloring
Full list by category
135 codes across 18 categories
thickeners, gelling agents, phosphates, humectants, emulsifiers 38 codes
E407 Carrageenan E422 Glycerol E430 Polyoxyethylene (8) Stearate E431 Polyoxyethylene (40) Stearate E432 Polyoxyethylene (20) Sorbitan Monolaurate/Polysorbate 20/Tween 20 E433 Polyoxyethylene (20) Sorbitan Mono-Oleate/Polysorbate 80/Tween 80 E434 Polyoxyethylene (20) Sorbitan Monopalmitate/Polysorbate 40/Tween 40 E435 Polyoxyethylene (20) Sorbitan Monostearate/Polysorbate 60/Tween 60 E436 Polyoxyethylene (20) Sorbitan Tristearate/Polysorbate 65/Tween 65 E440A Pectin E440B Amidated Pectin E441 Gelatine E442 Ammonium Phosphatides/Emulsifier YN E450A Sodium and Potassium Phosphates and Polyphosphates E450B Sodium and Potassium Phosphates and Polyphosphates E450C Sodium and Potassium Phosphates and Polyphosphates E451 Triphosphates E452 Polyphosphate E470 Sodium, Potassium and Calcium Salts of Fatty Acids E471 Mono-and Diglycerides of Fatty Acids E472 Various Esters of Mono-and Diglycerides of Fatty Acids E472E Monoand diacetyl tartaric acid esters of mono & diglycerides E473 Sucrose Esters of Fatty Acids E474 Sucroglycerides E475 Polyglycerol Esters of Fatty Acids E476 Polyglycerol Polyricinoleate E477 Propane-1 E478 Lactylated Fatty Acid Esters of Glycerol and Propane-1,2-Diol E479B Thermally oxidized soybean oil interacted with mono and diglycerides of fatty acids E481 Sodium Stearoyl-2-Lactylate E482 Calcium Stearoyl-2-Lactylate E483 Stearyl Tartrate E491 Sorbitan Monostearate E492 Sorbitan Tristearate/Span 65 E493 Sorbitan Monolaurate/Span 20 E494 Sorbitan Monooleate/Span 80 E495 Sorbitan Monopalmitate/Span 40 E496 Sorbitan Trioleate
food colors 29 codes
E100 Curcumin/Turmeric E101 Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) E103 Chrysoine Resocinol E104 Quinoline Yellow E105 Fast Yellow AB E110 Sunset Yellow FCF / Orange Yellow S E122 Carmoisine / Azorubine E123 Amaranth E127 Erythrosine BS E128 Red 2G (C.I. 18050) E131 Patent Blue V E132 Indigo Carmine / Idigotine E140 Chlorophyll E141 Copper Complex of Chlorophyll E153 Carbon Black / Vegetable Carbon (Charcoal) E155 Brown HT/Chocolate Brown HT (C.I. 20285) E160A Alpha, Beta, Gamma E160D Lycopene E160E Beta-apo-8-carotenal E160F Ethyl ester of Beta-apo-8-cartonoic acid E161A Flavoxanthin E161B Lutein E161C Cryptoxanthin E161D Rubixanthin E161E Violaxanthin E161F Rhodoxanthin E161G Canthaxanthin E162 Beetroot Red / Betanin E180 Pigment Rubine / Lithol Rubine BK
antioxidants, phosphates, and complexing agents 18 codes
E304 Ascorbyl Palmitate E306 Natural Extracts rich in Tocopherols E319 tert-Butylhydroquinone/TBHQ E320 Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA) E321 Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT) E325 Sodium Lactate E326 Potassium Lactate E327 Calcium Lactate E334 Tartaric Acid E335 Sodium Tartrates E336 Potassium Tartrates (Cream of Tartar) E337 Potassium Sodium Tartrates E339 Sodium Phosphates E340 Potassium Phosphates E341 Calcium Phosphates E343 Magnesium Phosphates E356 Sodium adipate E357 Potassium Adipate
flavor enhancers 17 codes
E620 L-Glutamic Acid E621 Monosodium Glutamate/MSG E622 Monopotassium Glutamate E623 Calcium Glutamate E624 Mono ammonium glutamate E625 Magnesium diglutamate E626 Guanylic Acid E627 Disodium Guanylate E628 Dipotassium Guanylate E629 Calcium Guanylate E630 Inosinic acid E631 Disodium Inosinate E632 Dipotassium Inosinate E633 Calcium Inosinate E634 Calcium5-Ribonucleotide E635 Sodium 5'-Ribonucleotide E640 Glycine and its sodium salt