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Typical source

Fatty acids (plant or animal)

Plain-language explanation

Polysorbate 80 is a synthetic ingredient made by combining sorbitol, a sugar alcohol, with oleic acid, a type of fat. Its halal status depends entirely on the source of the oleic acid, which can come from either animal fat or vegetable oil. If the oleic acid is derived from a plant source like olives or sunflowers, it is considered halal by major certification bodies like JAKIM and MUI. However, if it comes from a non-halal animal source, the ingredient is not halal. Therefore, you should check for a halal certification to ensure the source is permissible.