Halal scanner: check what’s in a product
Scan or type a food product’s barcode to spot forbidden ingredients or ingredients to check.
How does the scanner work?
- 01
Scan the barcode
Open your phone’s camera or type the digits under the barcode. The code is read right on your device: no photo is sent.
- 02
Haliago checks the ingredients
The product sheet is fetched from Open Food Facts, then every ingredient, additive and category is checked against our halal rules.
- 03
Read an explained result
You see the verdict, the ingredients involved and the reason for each alert, along with the data source and the Nutri-Score.
The four possible results
The verdict sums up what the declared ingredients allow us to say. It never claims a product is halal-certified.
Prohibited
At least one ingredient is forbidden, such as pork, blood or an alcoholic drink.
To check
An ingredient raises a question: its origin isn’t stated or religious opinions differ.
Unable to determine
The ingredient list is missing or unreadable, so no conclusion can be drawn.
No risk detected
No forbidden ingredient or ingredient to check was found in the available ingredient list.
What the scanner looks for
The scanner knows 17 families of sensitive ingredients, grouped by how much attention they need.
Clearly forbidden
If they appear in the ingredient list, the product is forbidden.
- Pork and derivatives
- Blood
- Donkey meat
- Alcoholic drink
Origin to check
They can come from animals, sometimes pigs. As long as their origin isn’t stated, they need checking.
- Gelatin
- Collagen
- Bacon flavouring
- Animal fats
- Fatty acid emulsifiers
- E920 — L-cysteine
- E542 — Bone phosphate
- Flavour enhancers (E631, E635)
Opinions differ
Religious opinions disagree on these ingredients: the scanner flags them without taking sides.
- Alcohol or ethanol
- E120 — Carmine
- Horse meat
- Frog
Meat and poultry
When the slaughter method isn’t stated, the meat is flagged so you can check.
- Meat or poultry — slaughter not stated
Frequently asked questions about the scanner
Does the scanner guarantee that a product is halal?
No. The scanner reads the product’s declared ingredients and flags what raises a question. It replaces neither a halal certification nor the advice of a religious authority.
Where does the product information come from?
From Open Food Facts, a collaborative open database. Ingredients are entered as they appear on the packaging and may be incomplete: when in doubt, trust the label.
Which barcodes are supported?
Food product barcodes: EAN-13, EAN-8, UPC-A, UPC-E and ITF-14. QR codes are not supported.
Do I need to install an app or create an account?
No. The scanner works right in your browser, with the camera or by typing the barcode. The code is read on your device: no image is sent.
Why is an ingredient marked “To check”?
Because its origin isn’t stated (gelatin, for instance, can come from pork or beef) or because religious opinions differ about it. Check the label or ask the manufacturer to learn more.
What if a product can’t be found?
Check the barcode digits or try another product. If the product isn’t in Open Food Facts yet, you can add it there: it can then be analysed.
Are halal brands taken into account?
Yes. When a product’s brand is one of the halal brands listed on Haliago, the scanner says so next to the result, without hiding the ingredient analysis.