Shopping at a Japanese supermarket is a fun experience, but reading food labels can be confusing. Here are key ingredients to watch out for to ensure your purchases are Halal (حلال).

#### Key Japanese Words to Memorize:
* **豚肉 (butaniku)** or **ポーク (pōku)**: Pork. Avoid any product containing this.
* **ゼラチン (zerachin)**: Gelatin. Often derived from pork unless specified as fish-based (魚由来 - sakana yurai).
* **アルコール (arukōru)** or **酒精 (shusei)** or **洋酒 (yōshu)**: Alcohol. Found in soy sauce, mirin, and some breads/sweets for preservation.
* **マーガリン (māgarin)** or **ショートニング (shōtoningu)**: Margarine/Shortening. Can contain animal fats (動物性油脂 - dōbutsu-sei yushi). Look for plant-based (植物性 - shokubutsu-sei).
* **乳化剤 (nyūkazai)**: Emulsifier. Can be plant or animal-derived. If it says (大豆由来 - daizu yurai), it is soy-based and safe.

#### What is Generally Safe?
* Fresh fruits and vegetables (果物, 野菜)
* Fresh fish (魚)
* Plain rice (米) and plain noodles (without soup packets)
* Eggs (卵)
* Milk (牛乳)
* Tofu (豆腐)
* Natto (納豆)

Shopping takes a little more time and effort, but with this knowledge, you can cook delicious Halal meals at home. Bil-hanā' wa ash-shifā'! بالهناء والشفاء (Enjoy your meal)!