Is E472a–f (Esters of mono- and diglycerides) Halal?

It depends on what the label says.

High confidence

About this ruling

Condition: Source disclosure is incomplete
Evidence confidence: High means this page cites a primary regulator listing and a named Halal certifier source, retrieved 15 August 2026. That describes the quality of the sources on this page—not a Halal certificate for the pack or outlet in your hand.

Reviewed 27 September 2026

E472a–f are esters of mono- and diglycerides (the E471 fat backbone) with food acids.

Next step On bread improvers, look for DATEM / E472e and the rest of the E472 letter series; prefer vegetarian, vegan, or Halal-certified bakery fats. How to verify

Scan a label

Photo: FranHogan · CC BY-SA 4.0

Additive identity

E-number: E472a, E472b, E472c, E472d, E472e, E472f
Codex INS: INS 472a, INS 472b, INS 472c, INS 472d, INS 472e, INS 472f
Function: emulsifier
Family: glycerol esters
EU Union list: authorised
Names: Acetic acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (ACETEM); Lactic acid esters of mono- and diglycerides (LACTEM); Citric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides (CITREM); Tartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides (TATEM); Mono- and diacetyltartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides (DATEM); Mixed acetic and tartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides

Possible source pathways

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

E472a Possible source pathways

plant Halal Typical The mono- and diglyceride backbone is made from palm, soy, or other vegetable oils, then esterified with acetic, lactic, citric, or tartaric acid. Vegetarian/vegan claims confirm this route.
animal Halal if verified The same esters can be built on tallow or lard glycerides. Pork or non-zabiha fat is haram.
undisclosed Halal if verified Typical EU packs often show only E472e (DATEM) in bread. US packs may say 'DATEM' or 'diacetyl tartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides' without a fat source.

E-number database

How to verify

Match E472a–f, DATEM, CITREM, LACTEM, ACETEM, or 'diacetyl tartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides'.
Treat the whole letter series as one source-pathway family.
Vegetarian bread claims or Halal bakery marks settle the fat.
Compare letters on the family compare view; they are not different religious rulings.

Quick checks

E472a–f are E471 glycerides joined to a food acid; the letter names the acid, not the ruling.
The glyceride fat can be plant or animal; a vegetarian, vegan or Halal mark settles it.
DATEM (E472e) is common in supermarket bread; artisan bread often skips it.

What decides the answer

Plant-fat E472a–f, or vegetarian/vegan bakery claim
Halal
Halal-certified bread/margarine
Halal
Pork or non-zabiha glycerides
haram
Unspecified DATEM / E472e / E472c
Halal if verified

Why this ruling

The E472 letter series is what bakeries mean when they talk about DATEM and CITREM. Each code is an ester of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids—the same backbone as E471—with a food acid: acetic (E472a, ACETEM), lactic (E472b, LACTEM), citric (E472c, CITREM), tartaric (E472d), mono- and diacetyltartaric (E472e, DATEM), or mixed acetic and tartaric (E472f). EU and Codex list them separately because the acids behave differently in dough and margarine. For Halal purposes they are one family.^[1]^[2]

EFSA’s re-evaluation states that the mono- and diglycerides may be of vegetable or animal origin. That is the ruling. Plant DATEM is Halal. Animal DATEM follows slaughter. Unspecified E472e on a supermarket loaf is mashbooh—Halal if verified—exactly like unlabeled E471.^[2]^[5]

US ingredient lists rarely say “E472e”. They say DATEM or the long chemical name. Both belong here. So do INS 472a–f. The compare view lays the six letters side by side; none of them is a shortcut around checking the fat.

Practical checks match E471: Halal bakery certification, a vegetarian/vegan suitability claim, or a miller’s statement that DATEM is vegetable. Artisan breads with short formulas often skip the whole family.

The six letters

Code	Common name	Where it appears
E472a	ACETEM	Food coatings, some fats
E472b	LACTEM	Whipped toppings, cake mixes
E472c	CITREM	Margarine, chocolate
E472d	Tartaric acid esters	Rarely used; some baking fats
E472e	DATEM	Industrial bread, pastries
E472f	Mixed acetic and tartaric esters	Bakery emulsifier blends

The acid differs; the fat source question is the same for every row.

Where you'll find it

DATEM (E472e) in industrial bread and rolls
CITREM (E472c) in margarine, sauces, and infant formula emulsifier systems
LACTEM / ACETEM in cake and whipped toppings
Mixed tartaric/acetic esters (E472f) in bakery fats

Frequently asked questions

Is DATEM Halal?

DATEM is E472e. It is Halal when the mono- and diglycerides were plant (or audited Halal animal fat). Bare DATEM on an uncertified loaf is Halal if verified.

Does the letter (a–f) change the ruling?

No. The letter names the acid (acetic, lactic, citric, tartaric, mixed). The Halal issue is the glyceride fat, shared with E471.

Is E472c the same as E331?

No. E331 is sodium citrate, a salt of fermented citric acid. E472c is citric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides—an emulsifier with a fat source.

Why is DATEM on so much supermarket bread?

It strengthens gluten and helps loaf volume on high-speed lines. Artisan formulas often skip it.

Scholarly view

The six letters are technological variants of one fat-source question. DATEM is the highest-volume bakery code; it is not a separate fiqh category. Named certifier mashbooh lists group unspecified E471/E472 together. Istihalah arguments that would bless all transformed fats are not how those lists treat unlabeled DATEM.

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

SANHA — Mashbooh E-numbers

SANHA Retrieved 15 August 2026

Certifier: SANHA

Unspecified E471/E472-type emulsifiers treated as mashbooh / source-dependent.