FOOD GUIDE · Updated October 17, 2026
Shellac: food and pharmaceutical glaze (E904)
Shellac is a refined resin from the secretion of lac insects. It is used as a glazing or coating ingredient in some foods and medicines.
What it is and how it is made
Lac resin is collected from tree branches, cleaned and refined to produce shellac. Food-grade bleached shellac undergoes further processing; wax-free shellac is filtered to remove wax. Shellac is identified as E904 or INS 904.
Read the exact label for shellac or confectioner’s glaze. If a glaze or coating description does not identify its ingredients, ask the manufacturer. A brand name alone does not describe every variety or market.
Compare two U.S. Skittles products
Original Fruity Candy, 2.17 oz: the manufacturer’s ingredient list includes carnauba wax and does not list gelatin or shellac.
Original Gummies, 5.8 oz: the manufacturer lists gelatin. Its animal source is not identified on that product page.
For a fruit candy without listed gelatin, compare the Original Fruity Candy with the Gummies. Match the exact package and market; ingredient information alone is not halal certification. Sources checked October 17, 2026: Original Fruity Candy ingredients · Original Gummies ingredients.
How this site assesses shellac
AMNA Muslim Food Advisor places shellac under its hawwam criteria because of its insect origin. Read the linked criteria for the site’s approach and the religious reasoning behind it.
Medicines and coating alternatives
Ask your pharmacist about the coating ingredients of your exact medicine and suitable alternatives. Do not stop or replace prescribed treatment without advice from your prescriber or pharmacist. A different coating or ingredient does not by itself establish halal certification.
Sources
Sources checked October 17, 2026.
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