Halal Certification is a recognition that the products are permissible under Islamic law. These products are thus edible, drinkable or usable by Muslims. Halal Certification from Halal Trust an oldest established Islamic organization helps to build Halal consumer's confidence without suspicion or doubt over the consumption of the food products in restaurants, Hotels or in the form of medicines and vitamins. It is an authoritative and reliable testimony to support food manufacturers' claim that their products have met strict Halal requirement by the Shariah Law.

The certified Halal food products are not only accepted domestically but are marketable to worldwide Halal consumers. This opens an opportunity for export markets specially in those countries which do not permit sale of non-Halal food products. Moreover Halal products are not only welcomed by Muslim consumers but by non-Muslim consumers as well as Halal certificate represents high level of hygiene, cleanliness, safety, nutrition and is produced stringently under the requirements of the Islamic Dietary Law.

It is estimated that 70% of 1.6 billion Muslims worldwide follow Halal food standards, and that the global Halal market is currently estimated USD $600 billion. Today, Halal trademark is an important marketing tool in the international arena particularly if the product is aimed at penetrating Muslim countries. Muslim consumers will have greater confidence in purchasing such products without questioning its authenticity. Producers who do not have the Halal Certification would lose a large segment of potential customers from around the world. In addition, the Halal Certification is also required by an importer to the country.

When it comes to Halal food, most people think of meat products only. However, Muslims must ensure that all foods, particularly processed foods, pharmaceuticals and non food items like cosmetics are also Halal. Often these products contain animal by-products or other ingredients that are not permissible for Muslim consumption.

Most food producers, especially those from non-Muslim countries, assumed that vegetable-based products are safe for Muslim consumption. Thus Halal certification is not required by established Islamic Council. But the Halal Certification System is not only with regards to the raw material used. It encompasses the whole production process which includes processing, packaging, labelling, storage and transportation.

Generally all plants are Halal as long as it is not poisonous and not intended to be made into Haram food. However, a processed vegetable-based food is not naturally Halal if any of the production cycle is tainted with unclean elements (filthy or Najis) as in accordance with the Shariah Law. For instance, fats and oils or shortening is used during the process to enhance the taste of vegetable based food. Some of these enhancers may have been derived from a non-Halal animal. In addition some vegetable fats is processed in the same machinery which has been used to process non-Halal animal fats. Further, some packaging may contain animal grease such as pork fats. If these packaging materials have been in contact with the Halal vegetable-based products in anyway, it will render those products Haram and unfit for Muslim consumption.

The production premises and facilities used must only be for the purposes of Halal foods production. The same premise and facilities are not to be used for both Halal and non-Halal food production. This is notwithstanding that those premises and facilities have been cleaned thoroughly as in accordance to the Syariah Law. This stringent measure is taken to prevent Halal foods from being contaminated with Haram elements or any other elements that are considered filthy (Najis) by the Syariah Law.

Halal certification is not only limited to food produce. Other products such as non-alcohol beverage, raw materials needed in food processing, pharmaceutical and health care products, traditional herbal products, cosmetics and personal care products, cleaning products, daily consumable products and leather-made products (e.g. shoes, furniture and hand-bag) are examples of things that have to be Halal for Muslim consumption/usage.

In addition to that, places like restaurants, hotels, slaughtering houses; packaging and labeling materials are also required to have Halal certification to ensure they are suitable to be visited / used by Muslim consumers.

Thus a Halal certificate by a competent authority assures the consumer that the certified product:

>> Neither is nor consist of or contains any part or matter of an animal that a Muslim is prohibited by Shariah to consume or that has not been slaughtered in accordance with shariah
>> Does not contain anything which is considered to be impure according to shariah.
>> Has not been prepared, processed or manufactured using instrument that was not free from anything impure according to shariah; and
>> Has not in the course of preparation, processing or storage been in contact with or close proximity to any food that fails to satisfy paragraph (a) (b) or (c) or anything that is considered

CATEGORY:
Applicants for Halal certification are broadly categorized under THREE categories:

ABATTOIR:
Islamic Halal Zabiha (Shariah compliant slaughter) including Beaf (buffalo), Mutton (goat & sheep), Chicken.

MANUFACTURED / PROCESSED PRODUCTS:
Including food products, ingredients for food products, food snacks, sea food and dairy products and Non Food Products such as Cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and other consumables.

FOOD PREMISES:
Restaurants, Hotels, canteens, hostels, food chains, Catering companies, Airlines, Railways and Hospitals etc.

APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION
The applicants have to apply for registration as producer/supplier of Halal products on the prescribed application form in 2 copies to be obtained from the office of the Trust or downloaded from its web site. The application form is divided into 3 parts. Part I is related to general information about the applicant. Part II is related to category specific information whether the applicant is an abattoir or food producer or non food producer or a food serving premises. Part III is about product specific details regarding ingredients production process etc. The application with the covering letter on the official letterhead of the applicant and affidavit on Rs 100 stamp paper should be presented along with the Fee by cheque/draft/NEFT payable at Delhi drawn in favour of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind Halal Trust, New Delhi.

Certification Process:

Before dwelling on the above mentioned topic, it must be noted that halal certification means that products are permissible under Islamic law. Not only Muslims but Jews also aslo run institutions for ensuring food quality, test style and packaging. Kosher has been providing vigilance for this purpose since many years. But it is a beauty of Islamic halal certificate organisations that they provide both food quality and halal requirements. That is why most of the global halal markets are looking for halal organisations to get certificates.

By finding halal certificates logo on the products one does not need to bother checking any ingredients and consumers also feel free to purchase without any suspicion of whether the product is made of and contaminated with haram materials. Worldwide, Muslims are greatly concerned regarding many issues like blood plasma, pork contamination, grease used during packaging and several other issues, for in Islam, halal food not only have criterion of serving Islamic laws but it should be separated from unlawful materials. For this analytical methods and ingredients coding are taken care of.

Halal cerfication organisations wants assurances from consumers that the products must be free from

1. a part of animal prohibited in sharia
2. impure things according to the Islamic structure
3. should not be prepared and manufactured applying impure instruments.
4. No close proximity with any impure and haram materials.

In Islam these products and animals are unlawful (haram)

1. swine meat and its by-products
2. dead animals
3. dogs,
4. slaughtered animals without mentioning name of Allah Almighty intentionally,
5. insects except grasshopper
6. blood barring spleen and livers of haram animals
7. river animals except fish
8. ethanol and wine.

For consumers, if they keep care of these criteria, furnish them an opportunity of a huge market open in the world as over 50 millions halal consumers are estimated in Europe as well as 1.6 billion world over. By getting halal certificate consumers can fulfil requirements of the importing countries thus increasing capacity of sales and confidence among users. Through trademark halal logo on the packaging, suppliers can find special attention in the Middle East and other Muslim countries.

Halal certificates have been classified into three categories:

Abattoirs : sharia compliant halal zabiha including beef, mutton and chicken.

Manufactured foods : that includes food products, ingredients and snacks, dairy products, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and other consumables.

For interested companies, first they have to ascertain that their companies have complied with terms and conditions of Islamic sharia. There are many halal certificate organisations in India, but to us, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind Halal Trust is the most trusted one as it has close relations with circles of famous Islamic seminary Darul Uloom Deoband and Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind. This is something that makes it most reliable. Therefore within a few years, it has got popularity and also accreditation from many great international Islamic halal organisations. While talking to secretary of Jamiat Halal trust, he told that applicants have to apply for registration as producer/suppliers of halal products on the prescribed application form copies to be obtained from the office of the Trust or could be downloaded from its web site. The application form is divided into 3 parts. First part is for general information about the applicant. 2nd part is for category specific information whether the applicant is an abattoir or food producer or non food producer or a food serving premises. 3rd part is related to product specific details regarding ingredients production process etc. The application with the covering letter on the official letterhead of the applicant and affidavit on Rs 100 stamp paper should be presented along with the Registration fee of Rs 10,000/- by cheque/draft payable at Delhi drawn in favour of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind Halal Trust, New Delhi.

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