Halal and HACCP Certification: What Importers Should Check

Halal certification shows that a food product and its production meet halal rules, and HACCP certification shows that a plant controls food-safety hazards in a documented way. Importers should check who issued each certificate, what it covers, whether it is current and whether it matches the product they are buying.

What halal certification covers

Halal means permitted under Islamic law. For a food business, a halal certificate normally covers:

• Ingredients: nothing forbidden, and no forbidden material in additives or processing aids.
• Slaughter, for meat and poultry: carried out by a trained Muslim slaughterer, in line with halal rules, in an approved plant.
• Processing: equipment and lines kept free from cross-contamination with non-halal products.
• Packing and labelling: the product identified clearly, so it cannot be mixed up with other goods.
• Traceability: records that link each batch to the certificate.

Many foods are halal by nature, such as fresh fruit. Processed foods still deserve a check, because ingredients such as rennet in cheese, gelatine in sweets or flavourings can change the answer.

Ingredients that need a halal check

Processed foods often contain ingredients that are not obvious. When you buy sweets, dairy, bakery goods, sauces or ready meals, ask about these:

• Gelatine, which is commonly made from animal bones or skin.
• Rennet in cheese, which may come from animal or microbial sources.
• Alcohol used as a solvent in flavourings and extracts.
• Animal fats such as lard or tallow.
• Emulsifiers and enzymes, some of which can be animal-derived.

A good supplier can give you a full ingredient list and tell you the source of each of these.

Who issues the certificate

A halal certificate comes from a certification body. Importing countries often accept certificates only from bodies that are approved or recognised by their own authorities, which is common across the Gulf and other Muslim-majority markets. Before you order, ask your local authority or customs broker which bodies are accepted in your country.

What HACCP is

HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points. It is a system for finding the points in production where a hazard, such as bacteria, a chemical or a foreign object, could enter, and for controlling those points with limits, monitoring and records. It follows the principles published by the Codex Alimentarius, the international food standards body.

HACCP is not a quality grade and does not say a product tastes better. It says the plant manages food safety in a planned, checked way. You may also see related standards, such as ISO 22000, FSSC 22000 or BRCGS. Ask which standard a supplier holds, and what the certificate covers.

What to ask a supplier to show

1. A copy of the certificate for the product you are buying.
2. The issuer's name, and a way to confirm that the issuer is real and accepted in your country.
3. The scope: the products, the plant name and the address listed on the certificate.
4. The dates: the issue date and the expiry date.
5. The certificate holder: often the producer, not the trader. Ask which certificate applies to your order.
6. A consignment certificate, if your market needs one for each shipment.

Warning signs

• A certificate with no expiry date, or one that has already expired.
• An issuer you cannot find or verify.
• A scope that does not list your product or the plant that makes it.
• A blurred copy, or a file that seems to have been edited.
• A certificate in a different company's name with no explanation.

Checking before the order

Contact the issuing body and ask it to confirm the certificate number. Compare the plant name on the certificate with the plant named on the product labels and documents. Then put the certificate requirement into your purchase order, so the goods can be refused if the paperwork does not match.

What buyers in key markets ask for

Certificates are checked differently in each market, so ask your customs broker for the current rules. As a general guide:

• The Gulf: for bulk food procurement in the Gulf region, a halal certificate from a body your authority accepts is usually the first document buyers check, and Arabic labelling is normally required on the pack.
• The UK: halal is not a legal requirement, but many retailers and caterers ask for it. Food businesses must follow HACCP-based food-safety procedures, and meat and dairy imports need health certificates.
• The USA: the FDA must be told about food shipments before they arrive, and importers generally have to verify that their foreign suppliers make food safely. HACCP is mandatory for meat, poultry, seafood and juice.
• South Africa: retailers and wholesalers often ask for halal certification on meat and many processed foods, and for food-safety certificates from suppliers.

How we support certification

For export orders we offer Halal and HACCP certification support, and our packaging can be redesigned for the target market. Our product pages list Halal certification, for example on our frozen chicken leg quarter. When you look for a halal certified food supplier, tell us which certificate your market needs and we will confirm what applies to your order.

Whichever supplier you choose, keep the certificates with your shipping documents. Customs officers, retailers and auditors may ask to see them months after the goods arrive, and a complete file makes every one of those conversations short. See our guides to frozen chicken leg quarters and to how to choose a reliable supplier. Browse the meat and poultry collection or send us an inquiry.