Acetic Acid (Vinegar)

The acid in table vinegar; halal, whether synthetic or fermented.

Why?

Acetic acid is the sour-tasting compound in vinegar. It can be produced synthetically or by fermenting sugars, grains, or fruit past the alcohol stage into acid — a transformation (istihalah) that most scholars agree renders the result halal even when the starting material passed through an alcoholic stage.

Good to know

This reasoning is why cider and malt vinegar are generally accepted as halal; see also the Wine Vinegar entry in this glossary.

References

• General consensus of major halal certification bodies (e.g. IFANCA, JAKIM, HFA)

Last reviewed: 2026-08-30

This is informational guidance only, not a certified halal determination. Always consult an official halal certification body for certainty.