Halal Certification Requirements
Before applying for DHCE halal certification, understand what halal compliance means in practice and what your business needs to have in place to qualify.
What Makes a Product Halal?
Under Islamic Law, all food is considered halal unless it falls into a prohibited category. Understanding these principles is the foundation of halal certification and determines what DHCE will assess during your audit.
Prohibited Ingredients — Animal Origin
- Pigs, boars, and all pork-derived products including gelatine
- Dogs, snakes, monkeys, and similar animals
- Carnivorous animals with claws or fangs (lions, tigers, bears)
- Birds of prey with claws (eagles, vultures)
- Pests such as rats, centipedes, scorpions, lice, and maggots
- Amphibious animals such as frogs, crocodiles, and similar
- Animals not slaughtered according to Islamic Law
- Blood, and all blood-derived products
- Any by-product of the human body (e.g. human hair in L-Cysteine)
Prohibited Ingredients — Other Sources
- Alcoholic drinks including wine, ethyl alcohol, and spirits
- All intoxicating or hazardous drinks
- Intoxicating and hazardous plants (unless toxin is eliminated in processing)
- Food additives or ingredients of uncertain origin (mashbooh); including certain enzymes, emulsifiers, flavours, and gelatine unless source is verified as halal
- Any ingredient derived from a prohibited source, regardless of how small the quantity or what form it takes or whether as an additive, colour, processing aid, or glazing agent
Islamic Slaughter Requirements
For abattoirs, meat processors, and poultry businesses, halal certification requires that the slaughter process meets specific Islamic conditions. DHCE auditors will verify each of these during your on-site inspection.
The slaughterman must be a mentally sound Muslim, knowledgeable in Islamic slaughter procedures.
The animal must be a species lawfully permitted for consumption under Islamic Law.
The animal must be alive and deemed healthy at the time of slaughter.
The phrase “Bismillah” (In the Name of Allah) must be invoked immediately before each slaughter.
The slaughtering instrument must be sharp and must not be lifted from the animal mid-act.
The slaughter must sever the trachea, oesophagus, and both jugular veins in a single continuous motion.
What Your Business Must Have in Place
Beyond ingredient compliance, DHCE auditors will assess your facility, processes, documentation, and supply chain. Here is what you need to have in place before applying.
Ingredient Documentation & Traceability
All ingredients must be sourced from verified halal suppliers with proper certification documentation. A full traceability system must be in place from raw material to finished product, with records available for audit.
Documented Production Processes
Your full production process must be documented with standard operating procedures (SOPs). Equipment, surfaces, and utensils must be cleaned and sanitised before halal production begins, with records maintained.
Cross-Contamination Prevention
Strict segregation must be in place at every stage: raw material storage, production lines, semi-finished goods, and finished product storage. Halal and non-halal products must never come into contact.
Compliant Storage & Handling
Halal raw materials and finished products must be stored in clearly designated, labelled areas separate from non-halal goods. FIFO inventory management and proper environmental controls must be demonstrated.
Halal-Compliant Cleaning Agents & Packaging
All detergents, disinfectants, and lubricants used in the facility must not compromise halal status. Primary packaging must be free from any non-halal materials and must not introduce contamination risk.
Staff Training & Audit Readiness
All relevant staff must be trained on halal handling procedures and segregation protocols. Your team must be prepared to demonstrate compliance during DHCE’s on-site audit and provide access to all records requested.
Common Food Ingredients & Additives
Many common food ingredients and additives can be derived from animal, plant, or synthetic sources. The halal status depends on the origin. Use this table as a reference guide when reviewing your formulations.
| Ingredient | Description | Halal Status |
|---|---|---|
| Acetic Acid | Occurs naturally in plant juices; can also be obtained from animal tissues or produced synthetically. | Conditional |
| Adipic Acid | Occurs naturally in beets; typically prepared synthetically. | Halal |
| Agar Agar | Naturally derived from seaweed; used as a plant-based alternative to gelatine. | Halal |
| Beta-apo-8-Carotenal (E160e) | Orange/yellow colour from plants; may use gelatine or lard as a carrier to dissolve in water. | Conditional |
| Carmine / Cochineal (E120) | A red colour obtained from dried female cochineal insects. | Not Halal |
| Casein | A milk protein used in cheese manufacture; precipitated by acid or animal/vegetable enzymes. | Conditional |
| Chocolate Liquor | A syrup made from chocolate, not an alcoholic liquor. The term refers to its liquid form. | Halal |
| Dextrose (Corn Syrup) | Derived from starch; used as a sweetener or colouring agent. | Halal |
| E153 Carbon Black | A colour obtained by charring bones, meat, blood, wood, or vegetables. | Conditional |
| E322 Lecithin | An emulsifier originally from egg yolk; commercially prepared from soya bean oil. | Halal |
Our Team Will Guide You Through Every Requirement
Not sure if your business is ready? Contact our team for a no-obligation assessment. We’ll review your processes, identify any gaps, and guide you through every step of the certification journey.
