Mandatory Halal Raw Materials: What Are They?

The government has mandated that business owners must have a halal certificate by October 17, 2026, at the latest. Materials that are required to have a halal certificate include raw materials, additives, and auxiliary materials used in food and beverage production.

What materials are classified into the categories of raw materials, additives, and auxiliary materials? Check out the following information!

Animal Materials

• Meat and Processed Products: Must come from halal animals (cows, goats, chickens, etc.) that are slaughtered according to Islamic law. Animals such as pigs and dogs are classified as haram, so they are prohibited from being used in food and beverage production.
• Gelatin: Often used in food, beverages, or cosmetics. Gelatin is often obtained from animal materials, which are obtained through a long process and requires auxiliary materials whose halal status is unknown. This causes gelatin materials to be required to have a halal certificate, to ensure that halal animals and halal process auxiliary materials are used.
• Animal Fat: Animal fats such as glycerol and other fatty acids are generally obtained through a long process and require auxiliary materials whose halal status is unknown. Pork fat or a mixture of animals that are not slaughtered according to Islamic law is unclean and haram.

Vegetable Materials

Although vegetable ingredients are generally halal, there is a possibility that these ingredients are obtained through a long process with the help of auxiliary materials, so it is necessary to know the halalness information of the ingredients.

• Vegetable Oil: It must be ensured that it is not mixed with non-halal animal fats during the extraction process.
• Starch or Flour: Some starches are modified using enzymes or other chemicals from animal sources, so it is necessary to find out the origin of the animals and their origins.

Additives (Food Additives)

Additives are generally processed using other auxiliary materials whose halal status needs to be known. Commonly used additives include:

• Dyes: Some food colorings come from animal materials, such as cochineal (from insects). Make sure the coloring material has a halal certificate.
• Preservatives: Preservatives such as fatty acids or their derivatives need to know the type of animal used and their slaughter status.
• Flavorings and Flavor Enhancers: are generally processed in a long stage and use auxiliary materials such as alcohol as a solvent or a mixture of non-halal animals, so these ingredients must have a halal certificate.

Fermentation Materials and Enzymes

Fermentation materials such as yeast or enzymes are often used in the food production process, such as cheese, bread, and beverages. Attention needs to be paid to the type of animal used in the enzyme production process, and not using non-halal auxiliary materials, such as bacterial growth media, solvents in the extraction stage.

Chemicals and Mixtures

Chemicals derived from animal sources, such as glycerol or stearic acid, must ensure the halalness of the animal ingredients used and the slaughter process according to Islamic law. Mixtures of chemical ingredients that use non-halal solvents, such as alcohol, should also be avoided.

What needs to be done to ensure the halalness of raw materials?

To ensure the halalness of the materials used, make sure the material already has a halal certificate that can be checked on the material packaging or can be confirmed to the supplier or producer of the halal certificate for the material you purchased.