Is E913 (Lanolin / wool wax) 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 listing, retrieved 16 August 2026. That describes the quality of the sources on this page—not a Halal certificate for the pack or outlet in your hand.
Lanolin (E913, INS 913) is purified wool grease from sheep.
Evidence at a glance
Named sources used for this page. Open the full Sources block for notes and citation numbers.
| Source | Type | Retrieved |
|---|---|---|
| 21 CFR § 172.814 hydroxylated lanolin U.S. eCFR | Regulatory / labelling | |
| Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on food additives European Union | Regulatory / labelling | |
| Codex GSFA online FAO / WHO Codex | Regulatory / labelling | |
| European Commission — Food additives European Commission | Regulatory / labelling | |
| SANHA — E-numbers SANHA | Certifier / jurisdiction | |
| U.S. FDA — Food additives U.S. Food and Drug Administration | Regulatory / labelling |
Additive identity
Possible source pathways
The finished molecule can be identical across feedstocks. The Halal ruling follows the pathway, not the code alone.
- animal · Typical Halal Purified wool grease from sheep. It is a secretion/grease of wool, not slaughtered flesh. Mainstream certifier practice treats food/cosmetic lanolin like other permissible animal secretions once purified.
Why this ruling
Lanolin—wool grease, E913, INS 913—is the purified grease of sheep’s wool. It is not pork and not a slaughtered carcass. Mainstream practice treats it with other permissible animal secretions.[3][5]
It is not on the current EU Union list of food additives.[2] It is also not carmine and not shellac. People who avoid all animal inputs can switch to carnauba wax (E903).
Where you'll find it
- Rare fruit glazing / pharmaceutical ointments (more common in cosmetics than EU food)
How to verify
1) Match E913, INS 913, lanolin, or wool wax. 2) Treat food-grade lanolin as Halal on this site. 3) If you personally avoid all animal secretions, choose carnauba (E903) or unwaxed fruit. 4) Carmine (E120) is a different insect-colour debate.
- E913 = lanolin = wool grease.
- Secretion of wool, not meat.
- Not carmine; not a current EU food code.
Conditions for Halal
- Food-grade lanolin / E913 → Halal on this site
- Personal animal-secretion avoidance → choose carnauba or unwaxed fruit
- Not an authorised EU food additive today—identity is Codex/legacy
Scholarly differences
Lanolin is wool grease, not minced meat. Named certifier E-number literacy treats it as Halaal wool fat. This is not the carmine insect-colour dispute. A minority of consumers avoid all animal secretions; that is a preference, not this site’s default ruling. Do not invent a fatwa that lanolin is haram because it is 'animal'.
Frequently asked questions
Is lanolin Halal?
Is E913 legal in EU food?
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
-
21 CFR § 172.814 hydroxylated lanolin
U.S. eCFR
U.S. identity / GRAS or colour-additive listing—not a Halal ruling.
Retrieved:
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Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on food additives
European Union
Union-list identity—not a Halal certificate.
Retrieved:
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-
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U.S. Food and Drug Administration
US identity / labelling context—not a Halal ruling.
Retrieved:
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