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Typical source

Stearic acid (plant or animal)

Plain-language explanation

Sodium stearoyl lactylate is a common food additive used as an emulsifier to improve texture and mix ingredients like oil and water. It is made from stearic acid, which can come from either animal fats or vegetable oils, and lactic acid. Its halal status depends entirely on the source of the stearic acid; if it is derived from vegetable sources, it is considered halal, but if it comes from non-halal animal fat, it is haram. Therefore, most major halal certification bodies only approve E481 when its plant-based origin is verified.