What s Halal Certification and Why is It Important?
If you are considering Halal certification for your business, you may be wondering what it is and why it is important. Continue reading to learn more.
What Does Halal Mean?
“Halal” is an Arabic term that means permitted, allowed, or lawful.
Foods and substances that are identified as Halal are accepted, encouraged, and permitted under Islamic law. Muslim scripture (the Qur’an) recognizes all foods as Halal unless they are specifically recognized as Haram.
“Haram” is an Arabic term that means unlawful, unpermitted, or not allowed. Below are some common examples of Haram foods or substances:
- Pork, bacon, and ham
- Gelatin (with the exception of fish gelatine)
- Lard
- Carnivorous (meat-eating) animals such as dogs, cats, bears, wolves, etc
- Meat that is taken from animals that were not raised under Halal guidelines
- Alcohol
- Carrion
What Does it Mean to be Halal Certified?
Since foods and products must meet certain guidelines to be considered Halal, it is important for a structured system to ensure everything is regulated.
Halal certification acknowledges that a company or organization has followed all necessary guidelines and preparations to ensure that all of their products or items are lawful and permitted under Islamic law.
Why is Halal Certification Important?
Ultimately, Halal certification is important because it provides consumers with peace of mind. It assures them that there is no question about the purity of the product or food. It also ensures consumers that you are dedicated to providing top-tier products; this can be a major drawing factor for many buyers.
Achieving certification is also crucial to promoting and expanding your business in primarily Muslim areas and countries, where individuals will only purchase foods and items that they know are guaranteed to be Halal.
How Do I Get Halal Certified?
There are six main steps to becoming Halal certified:
- Application
- Inspection
- Registration
- Certification of Product (Dry Goods, Pharmaceuticals, Cosmetics) / Assignment of Muslim slaughterman (Meat & Poultry)
- Certification fees (Dry Goods, Pharmaceuticals, Cosmetics) / Sign Agreement and Issue Certifcation (Meat & Poultry)
- Post-certification monitoring
The certification process is closely monitored from start to finish; this ensures that there is no chance for discrepancies. Check out our site to learn more about our application process.
Halal Food Council USA: Halal Food Certification Online
With the information you have learned here, you will have a thorough understanding of what a Halal certification is, as well as its importance.
If you own or operate an American business and are interested in Halal food certification in the USA, HFC-USA is here to help you become Halal certified.
We offer the following services:
- Meat & Poultry Halal Certification
- Pharmaceutical Halal Certification
- Cosmetics Halal Certification
- Dry Goods Halal Certification
- Halal Food Service Training
We will provide both supervision and Halal certification services for any and all American businesses that wish to provide their customers with Halal food – whether it be meat and poultry, dry goods, or pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. We also provide comprehensive Halal food service training.
For more information about obtaining American halal certification or to apply for Halal certification, give us a call at 410-548-1728.