Names to look for on labels
- prawn paste
- belacan
- kapi
- terasi
What to do
No action needed for this additive. Check the rest of the ingredient list, and remember that meat products still need proper halal slaughter.
More about shrimp paste
Shrimp paste is made from fermented, ground shrimp. It is used in Thai, Malaysian, Indonesian and Burmese cooking, in curry pastes and sambals, under names such as belacan and kapi.
Most scholars accept shrimp. The Hanafi school is stricter, though many Hanafi scholars accept prawns. Check your own setting.
Is shrimp paste vegetarian or vegan?
No. Shrimp paste comes from animals, so it is not vegetarian or vegan.
Why we classify it this way
Halal Shrimp paste is made from fermented shrimp, common in Thai and Malaysian dishes. Scholars differ on seafood other than fish: the Hanafi school does not allow it, which is why the Hanafi setting marks it as doubtful.
Basis: No concern found. Made from plants, minerals, fermentation or synthesis, or from a permitted animal product. Nothing in normal production raises a pork, alcohol, insect or slaughter question.
In the Hanafi setting this is shown as Doubtful (Mushbooh).
No external reference is listed for this record yet.
Classification audited 3 November 2026. It has not been reviewed by a scholar. How classifications work · Suggest a correction
Frequently asked questions
Is shrimp paste halal?
Shrimp paste is halal. Shrimp paste is made from fermented shrimp, common in Thai and Malaysian dishes. Scholars differ on seafood other than fish: the Hanafi school does not allow it, which is why the Hanafi setting marks it as doubtful.
Where does shrimp paste come from?
Fermented shrimp.
Is shrimp paste vegetarian or vegan?
No. Shrimp paste comes from animals, so it is not vegetarian or vegan.
Is shrimp paste halal for Hanafis?
In the Hanafi school only fish is clearly permitted from the sea, so many Hanafis treat these as doubtful or avoid them. Choose the Hanafi setting to see this in the checker.