Halal Certificate
Halal Certificate is a certificate given to food products that are not safe to be consumed according to Islamic religious principles. As in every religious belief, the consumption of certain foods is prohibited in Islam. Muslims only consume foods permitted by religious rules. Food businesses that produce, process, transport or sell these foods verify the suitability of these services by obtaining a Halal Certificate. The Halal Certificate shows that there is no prohibited substance in the food products in question according to the religion of Islam and that the way these products are prepared is in accordance with Islam. Today, many Muslims care about the fact that the food they eat and drink has Halal Certificate; especially in critical food products, this document is requested food companies. Companies are also trying to obtain Halal Certificate for their food products in order to meet the expectations of their customers and increase their service quality.
What is Halal Certificate?
Consuming the right food products is a common requirement for almost all sects of the Islamic religion. The religion of Islam forbade certain foods to its adherents and ordered them to stay away these foods. Today, the extension of the food supply chain and the expansion of the supply network have started to create some problems on people´s sensitivities about halal food. So much so that Muslims often hesitate about whether the food they eat is "halal", that is, whether it complies with the rules of the religion of Islam in terms of its content and preparation. For this reason, many Muslims take care to consume Halal Certified foods.
The main features of foods that receive Halal Certificate are as follows:
• Does not contain pork, fat or any derivative material.
• Animals in which Islamic procedures and principles are followed in slaughter
• It does not contain any alcohol and / or any other intoxicating substance.
• Animals allowed by Islam to be slaughtered and eaten
• Does not contain blood and / or any substance not made of blood
• Not in contact with one or more of these products.
Some of the food businesses that can get Halal Certificate are as follows:
• Places that produce and sell food
• Food transport companies
• Manufacturers of products in contact with food (spoon, fork, knife, plate, etc.)
• Places such as restaurants, cafes, restaurants, etc. that produce, process, transport and sell animal-derived food products such as meat, milk, eggs.
• Slaughterhouses
• Companies that produce food packaging and packaging materials
Manufacturers and sellers of cosmetic, cleaning and various chemical products, for which Islamic principles are important in terms of content and preparation, can also obtain Halal Certificate.
How to Get Halal Certificate?
Food companies that want to get Halal Certificate must first organize their business processes according to Islamic rules. This requires certain conditions such as cleaning, hygiene and sanitation, personnel training, packaging and storage of food. In this context, we can say that the Halal Certificate is compatible with systems such as Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), Good Hygiene Practices (GHP), Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), ISO 22000 Food Safety Management System, etc. It is obligatory for the companies that will receive the certificate to have a food management system prepared within the framework of these systems.
After certain preparations are made within the company, the certification process begins. Halal Certificate is given only by accredited certification bodies. Businesses applying for a certificate must first send some documents showing that their products meet the halal food conditions to the certification body. These documents confirm that the products are halal food through various tests, analysis, inspections or inspections. The certification body then sends independent auditors to the enterprise and asks for on-site inspection of business processes. If any situation / event incompatible with the halal food approach is detected during these inspections, the food company has to develop corrective / preventive actions regarding them. Likewise, auditors may request new tests, analyzes, etc. Halal Certificate can be given to businesses that pass the audits successfully.
Halal Certificate Benefits
The most important advantages of a company that receives Halal Certificate are as follows:
• Since halal food meets various quality, cleanliness and hygiene criteria, it ensures that consumers all walks of life trust the certified products and brands.
• Firms holding certificates can be more active in domestic and international markets and increase their sales volume.
• Corporate reputation increases in terms of customer satisfaction and product quality, which increases customer loyalty and the number of customers over time.
• It is easier to comply with other legislation related to food management systems.
• The competitiveness in the market increases.
• To inform the consumers correctly and to sell the products that they are sure of, to establish the enterprises. It is also important in terms of fulfilling its social responsibilities.
Halal Certificate Training and Consultancy
Today, product quality, accuracy and safety are very important for all companies operating in food, cosmetics, cleaning, etc. sectors. The provision of "Halal" requirements is also of great importance in this respect, and we can say that consumers are also paying close attention to this issue. For this reason, all companies included in the scope are required to both verify their products and ensure customer satisfaction by obtaining the Halal Certificate. In this context, the certification process should be maintained accurately and securely. It is recommended that the companies that will receive the Halal Certificate get support expert consultancy firms in order to overcome this process with the least cost and loss of time and to meet all the requirements completely. Consulting firms guide businesses at every step the beginning to the end of the certification process and can make the Halal Certification process much easier.
