E904 Shellac — is it halal?

Ruling: Mashbuh (doubtful)

Description

Glazing resin — the purified secretion of the lac insect Kerria lacca (India, Thailand), scraped from tree branches (sticklac), washed to seedlac and refined by one of two routes: chemical bleaching (sodium carbonate, sodium hypochlorite, sulfuric acid) or physical decolouring — dissolution in ethanol, wax filtration, activated carbon. For application it is dissolved in ethanol or in aqueous ammonia/carbonate media.

Basis of the ruling

Shellac is a resin secreted by the lac insect Kerria lacca on tree branches. The crust is scraped off together with the insect bodies, washed and refined by one of two methods: chemical bleaching, or dissolving in ethanol with filtration and carbon.

Names: Шеллак · Shellac · شيلاك

Also known as: лак-смола, lac resin, gum lac, صمغ اللك, E 904, INS 904, bleached shellac, wax-free shellac, orange shellac, lacca, seedlac, 紫胶, 虫胶

Category: Glazing agents

Regulatory source: EU 1333/2008

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