Additive identity
Possible source pathways
The finished molecule can be identical across feedstocks. The Halal ruling follows the pathway, not the code alone.
E1105 Possible source pathways
- animal Halal Typical Commercial food-grade lysozyme is extracted from hen-egg white. Ordinary chicken eggs are Halal. It is not porcine.
What decides the answer
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Hen-egg lysozyme / E1105
Halal -
Egg allergy or vegan practice
avoid (health / ethics, not a fiqh ban on eggs) -
Finished cheese: still verify rennet and starter enzymes
Where you'll find it
- Ripened hard cheese (late blowing prevention)
- Occasional wine/cider microbiological control
Why this ruling
Lysozyme (E1105, INS 1105) is an enzyme that breaks down the cell walls of certain bacteria. The lysozyme used in food is extracted from hen's egg white, and it counts as an egg ingredient. Eggs are Halal, so lysozyme is Halal.[1][2] Certifier lists put it with the additives that need no source check.[5]
What it is used for
Its main food use is in hard and semi-hard cheeses. Some milk carries spores of a bacterium that survive into the cheese and, weeks later, produce gas that splits the wheel open and spoils the taste. Cheesemakers call it late blowing. A little lysozyme stops it.
The best-known example is Grana Padano, which lists lysozyme from egg; Parmigiano Reggiano does not use it. Some other aged cheeses, such as certain Provolone, use it too.
It does not settle the cheese
Lysozyme is an egg enzyme that protects the cheese. It is not what sets the milk. That job is done by rennet, and many aged Italian cheeses, Grana Padano included, are made with animal rennet. That is a separate question: microbial rennet or rennet from a Halal-slaughtered animal is Halal, pork rennet is not, and rennet from a calf not slaughtered Islamically is a difference between scholars. See cheese and rennet.
Egg allergy and vegan diets
Because it comes from egg white, lysozyme must be declared as egg on EU and UK labels, which is why a cheese can carry an egg allergy warning. People who avoid eggs for allergy, or who are vegan, will avoid it for those reasons. Neither changes the Halal ruling. See eggs.
Not to be confused with
Other enzyme additives come from different sources and have their own pages: proteases, including papain and pepsin, are on E1101. Lysozyme is also not gelatin, even though both are proteins.
How to verify
- Match E1105, INS 1105, or lysozyme.
- Treat food-grade lysozyme as Halal egg protein.
- If you avoid eggs, skip it.
- Cheese may still use animal rennet—check that separately.
Quick checks
- Lysozyme (E1105) is an enzyme from hen's egg white: Halal.
- In Grana Padano and other hard cheeses, check the rennet as usual.
- It is labelled as an egg allergen and is not vegan.
Frequently asked questions
Is lysozyme Halal?
Is lysozyme vegetarian?
Where is lysozyme used?
Is lysozyme an allergen?
Scholarly view
Egg-white lysozyme is not a Scholarly difference insect colour and not porcine pepsin. People with egg allergy or vegan practice will avoid it for non-fiqh reasons. Animal-derived proteases are a different page (E1101).
Sources
Named Islamic, certifier, manufacturer, and regulatory sources used on this page. Inline markers like [1] jump here. Retrieval dates show when we last checked the live URL. Editorial methodology.
Certifier / jurisdiction
Regulatory / labelling
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Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on food additives
European Union Retrieved
Union-list identity—not a Halal certificate.
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EFSA — Lysozyme (E1105) as a food additive
European Food Safety Authority Retrieved
Identity as an enzyme obtained from hen-egg white.
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People also check
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