isithalal.food

Is Tim Tam Halal?

Scholars differ on this one.

Scholarly difference
High confidence About this ruling

About this ruling

Condition
Recognised scholarly rulings differ
Evidence confidence
High means this page cites a manufacturer spec and a named scriptural or scholarly source, retrieved 6 October 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

Arnott's Tim Tam Original lists 'food colours (caramel III, beet red, cochineal, annatto)'.

Next step Tim Tam Original lists cochineal, an insect-based red colour, so whether it is Halal depends on your view of cochineal. Tim Tam Dark lists no cochineal; check the colours on any other flavour. How to verify
Scan a label

Photo: Open Food Facts contributors · CC BY-SA 3.0

Scholarly differences

Cochineal is the sticking point. Darul Ifta Birmingham, answering about Tim Tams directly, said cochineal 'is not suitable for a halal diet', and IslamWeb treats carmine as impermissible on the majority view that insects are not eaten.

Indonesia's MUI permits cochineal colouring when it is beneficial and not harmful, and Jordan's Iftaa Department permits E120 on the ground of transformation. On the alcohol-based flavours Arnott's mentioned, Mufti Ebrahim Salejee said 'we will not say that it is haraam', though refraining is better as a matter of taqwa.

What decides the answer

  • Tim Tam Original

    lists cochineal; follow your school

  • Tim Tam Dark

    no cochineal listed

  • Alcohol-based flavours (per Arnott's)

    not haram per Mufti Online; refraining is more cautious

How to verify

  1. Read the colours: Tim Tam Original lists cochineal; Tim Tam Dark lists caramel colour only.
  2. Follow your view on cochineal (carmine, E120).
  3. The other ingredients, milk chocolate, soy lecithin and E476, are plant or milk based.
  4. Flavours change, so read each pack.

Quick checks

  • Original and Double Coat: cochineal listed.
  • Dark: no cochineal listed.
  • Follow your school on cochineal (E120).

Why this ruling

Tim Tams are Arnott's chocolate-coated biscuits from Australia. The Halal question comes down to one ingredient.

The cochineal

Tim Tam Original lists "food colours (caramel III, beet red, cochineal, annatto)".[1] Tim Tam Double Coat lists cochineal too.[3] Cochineal, also called carmine or E120, is a red colour made from insects. Asked about Tim Tams directly, Darul Ifta Birmingham said cochineal "is not suitable for a halal diet",[4] and IslamWeb takes the same view.[6] Indonesia's MUI permits cochineal colouring,[8] and Jordan's Iftaa Department permits E120 on the ground of transformation.[7]

Tim Tam Dark lists only caramel colour, with no cochineal.[2] The chocolate's emulsifiers are soy lecithin and E476, both plant based.

The flavourings

A customer who asked Arnott's was told that small amounts of alcohol-based flavours, like vanilla essence, are added to sweet biscuits and are believed to evaporate during baking. Mufti Online answered: "We will not say that it is haraam, but at the level of taqwa if someone refrains it is better."[5]

Where you'll find it

  • Chocolate-coated biscuits from Arnott's, Australia
  • Dark, double coat and flavoured editions

Frequently asked questions

Are Tim Tams Halal?
It depends on your view of cochineal. Tim Tam Original lists cochineal, an insect-derived red colour that some scholars reject and others permit. Tim Tam Dark lists no cochineal.
Do Tim Tams contain cochineal?
Tim Tam Original does: its food colours are 'caramel III, beet red, cochineal, annatto'. Tim Tam Double Coat lists cochineal too. Tim Tam Dark lists caramel colour only.
Do Tim Tams contain alcohol?
Arnott's told a customer that small amounts of alcohol-based flavours may be added to sweet biscuits and that it believes the alcohol evaporates in baking. Mufti Online said this does not make the biscuit haram, though refraining is better as a matter of taqwa.
Are Tim Tams Halal-certified?
The Open Food Facts records for Tim Tam Original show no Halal label. Read the pack for a certifier's mark.

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.

Islamic / scriptural

  1. Are Arnotts biscuits halal (Fatwa ID 02440)

    Darul Ifta Birmingham (Mufti Muhammad Adnan) Retrieved

    Jurisdiction: United Kingdom

    19 March 2018. 'Timtam original contain cochineal which is derived from insects and is not suitable for a halal diet. Scotch finger original and scotch finger chocolate have nothing in the ingredients provided that is haram... one must check the ingredients regularly.'

  2. Eating products with alcohol based flavours

    Mufti Online (Mufti Ebrahim Salejee), via IslamQA.org Retrieved

    Jurisdiction: South Africa

    Quotes Arnott's reply about Tim Tams: 'Small amounts of alcohol based flavours (like vanilla essence) are added to sweet biscuits... we believe the alcohol is evaporated during baking.' Answer: 'We will not say that it is haraam, but at the level of taqwa if someone refrains it is better.'

  3. The ingredient carmine (Fatwa 90369)

    IslamWeb Retrieved

    Treats carmine as impermissible under the majority view that insects are not eaten (also notes alcohol treatment concerns in processing).

  4. Ruling of Sharia on using Carmine E120 (Fatwa 3240)

    Jordan General Iftaa' Department Retrieved

    Jurisdiction: Jordan

    Permits E120 subject to transformation (istiḥālah), need/no suitable alternative, limited use, and no harm to health—while noting the majority classical insect prohibition.

  5. MUI cochineal fatwa decision (Fatwa No. 33/2011 context)

    Majelis Ulama Indonesia (MUI) / LPPOM Retrieved

    Jurisdiction: Indonesia

    States food and drink colouring from cochineal is Halal when beneficial and not harmful.

Manufacturer / product

  1. Tim Tam Original

    Open Food Facts Retrieved

    Jurisdiction: Australia

    Ingredients include milk chocolate (38%) (sugar, milk solids, cocoa butter, cocoa mass, vegetable oil, emulsifiers (soy lecithin, E476), flavour), wheat flour, sugar, vegetable oil, golden syrup, 'food colours (caramel III, beet red, cochineal, annatto)', cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, emulsifier (soy lecithin), flavour. No Halal label recorded.

  2. Tim Tam Dark

    Open Food Facts Retrieved

    Jurisdiction: Australia

    Dark chocolate (38%), wheat flour, sugar, vegetable oil, golden syrup, cocoa powder, 'food colour (caramel)', salt, baking powder, emulsifier (soy lecithin), flavour. No cochineal listed.

  3. Tim Tam Double Coat

    Open Food Facts Retrieved

    Jurisdiction: Australia

    Food colourings listed include beetroot red and cochineal.

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