Chemical & Additive
Depends on Source
E920
L-Cysteine (E920)
A dough conditioner historically extracted from human hair or poultry feathers.
Why this is a critical point
L-Cysteine makes bread dough more elastic and faster to process. It can be sourced from human hair or poultry feathers (both problematic), or produced by bacterial fermentation or chemical synthesis (potentially halal). It is nearly impossible to tell which without supplier documentation.
Also known as
L-Cystein, Cysteine, E920
Commonly found in
Mass-produced sliced bread, burger buns, commercial pizza dough.
Halal alternative
Certified microbial-fermentation L-cysteine (non-animal), or plant-based dough-conditioning enzymes.
This information is educational guidance, not a fatwa or an official halal determination. A product’s final status can only be established through inspection by an accredited Halal Inspection Body (LPH) and a ruling from the MUI Fatwa Commission / Halal Product Fatwa Committee.
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