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Is E331 (Sodium citrates) Halal?

Yes — this one is Halal.

Halal
High confidence About this ruling

About this ruling

Evidence confidence
High means this page cites a primary regulator listing and a named Halal certifier source, retrieved 28 September 2026. That describes the quality of the sources on this page—not a Halal certificate for the pack or outlet in your hand.
How we score High, Medium, and Low

Reviewed

Sodium citrates (E331, INS 331) are acidity regulators and sequestrants made from citric acid and sodium salts.

Next step Treat sodium citrate / E331 as Halal in ordinary food use; still read the rest of the pack for gelatin, emulsifiers, or alcohol flavourings. How to verify
Scan a label

Photo: Metoc · CC BY-SA 3.0

Additive identity

E-number
E331
Codex INS
INS 331
Function
acidity regulator
Family
citrates
EU Union list
authorised
Names
Sodium citrates; Monosodium citrate; Disodium citrate; Trisodium citrate; Sodium dihydrogen citrate

Possible source pathways

The finished molecule can be identical across feedstocks. The Halal ruling follows the pathway, not the code alone.

E331 Possible source pathways

  • microbial Halal Typical Citric acid is almost always made by fermenting plant sugars (often Aspergillus niger on molasses or starch hydrolysate), then neutralised with sodium carbonate or hydroxide.
  • plant Halal Typical The carbohydrate feedstock is plant; no animal tissue is required for standard food-grade E331.
  • synthetic Halal Mineral sodium salts plus fermented citric acid remain Halal.

E-number database

What decides the answer

  • Food-grade sodium citrates / E331 from fermented citric acid

    Halal

  • Do not treat E472c (citric esters of mono- and diglycerides) as the same additive

  • Finished drinks and cheeses still need their other ingredients checked

Why this ruling

Sodium citrates—E331 on EU and many international labels, INS 331 in Codex, and usually sodium citrate or trisodium citrate on US packs—are the sodium salts of citric acid. They buffer tartness, sequester metals, and help processed cheese melt. The Halal question people bring from emulsifier lists does not belong here.[1][2]

Industrial citric acid is made by fermenting plant carbohydrates, typically with Aspergillus niger, then purified and reacted with sodium carbonate or sodium hydroxide to give the mono-, di-, or trisodium salt. EFSA’s re-evaluation of E330–E333 treats that identity as a family of citrate salts; it is a food-safety opinion, not a religious certificate.[2] Codex lists the same salts under INS 331.[4] None of those identity documents require an animal tissue feedstock.

So the additive itself is Halal. What still needs a look is the rest of the recipe: a sports drink with E331 can still carry E471, carmine, or gelatin gummies in the same brand line. Citric esters of mono- and diglycerides (E472c) are a different molecule with the E471 fat-source problem—they are covered on their own page.

US shoppers will almost never see “E331”; they will see sodium citrate in cheese sauces, sodas, and club soda mixes. That string, INS 331, and E331 are the same analysis.

Where you will find it

  • Processed cheese slices and cheese sauces – sodium citrate is the "emulsifying salt" that lets cheese melt smoothly without splitting.
  • Soft drinks, club soda and sports drinks – it softens sharp acidity and keeps flavour stable.
  • Jams, jellies and sweets – it controls acidity so pectin sets properly.
  • Medicines and rehydration salts – as a buffer.

In processed cheese the citrate is fine, but the cheese itself still follows its rennet; see cheese.

What a certifier says

SANHA, the South African National Halaal Authority, lists E331 sodium citrate as Halaal and gives its source as synthesis from citric acid [5].

How to verify

  1. Match sodium citrate, sodium citrates, trisodium citrate, or E331 / INS 331.
  2. Treat the additive as Halal.
  3. Still check other ingredients on the same pack (E471, gelatin, carmine, alcohol flavourings).
  4. Do not confuse citrate salts with citrate esters of mono- and diglycerides (E472c).

Quick checks

  • E331 / sodium citrate = fermented citric acid + sodium → Halal.
  • Do not confuse with E472c or E471.
  • Still vet the rest of the ingredient list.

Frequently asked questions

Is sodium citrate Halal?
Yes under ordinary food production: citric acid is fermented from plant sugars and then converted to a sodium salt. US labels usually spell out sodium citrate; EU and many export packs use E331.
Is E331 the same as E330?
E330 is citric acid; E331 is its sodium salts (mono-, di-, and trisodium citrate). Both are Halal on the same fermentation pathway.
Can citrate come from animal bone?
Bone phosphate is a different additive (legacy E542). Sodium citrate is not made from bone in standard food use.
Why do some Halal lists still flag ‘citrate’?
Usually they mean citrate esters of fats (E472c) or mixed emulsifier systems, not E331. Read the full name or E-number.
Do Halal certifiers accept E331?
Yes. SANHA, South Africa's national Halal authority, lists E331 as Halaal, synthesised from citric acid. Some online E-number lists still mark it 'doubtful', usually by copying old generic lists rather than looking at how sodium citrate is made.
Is acidity regulator 331 the same as E331?
Yes. "Acidity regulator (331)", INS 331 and E331 are all sodium citrates. The number comes from the Codex International Numbering System (INS) for food additives; EU labels add the E prefix, and many other labels print the number alone after the additive's function. The Halal answer above applies whichever way it is written.

Scholarly view

There is no named madhhab split on sodium citrate as a salt of fermented citric acid. Residual processing-aid questions that apply to some enzymes do not attach to standard E331 identity in EU or Codex listings. Do not import the E471/E472 source-dependent ruling onto citrate salts.

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

  1. SANHA: E331 (Sodium Citrate)

    South African National Halaal Authority Retrieved

    Jurisdiction: South Africa

    Status: Halaal. Source: synthesised from citric acid.

Regulatory / labelling

  1. Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on food additives

    European Union Retrieved

    Jurisdiction: European Union

    Union-list identity for E331 sodium citrates—not a Halal certificate.

  2. EFSA — Re-evaluation of citric acid (E330), sodium citrates (E331) and related citrates

    European Food Safety Authority Retrieved

    Jurisdiction: European Union

    Safety re-evaluation of E330–E333; describes citric acid / citrate identity. Not a Halal ruling.

  3. European Commission — Food additives

    European Commission Retrieved

    EU additive literacy hub.

  4. Codex GSFA online

    FAO / WHO Codex Retrieved

    INS 331 sodium citrates in the General Standard for Food Additives / JECFA index.

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