FSSAI Food License

How to Get Halal Certification in India?

Halal is an Arabic term that means “permissible or lawful”. It is related to Islam and its dietary laws. It is specifically related to meat processed and prepared according to the requirements of law. Halal promotes cleanliness, and halal foods ensure that food consumed is hygienic and not detrimental to their health. In this article, we shall discuss Halal Certification in India. 

What is Halal Certification in India?

Many businesses today are going for halal certification for their product, restaurants, etc. with rising awareness about halal foods. Having halal certification ensures that the food product is safe for consumption.

Halal certification in India is provided by the halal certification bodies. There are different such bodies, and a few of these bodies in India are as follows:

• Halal India Private Limited;
• Halal Certification Services India Private Limited;
• Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind Halal trust;
• Jamiat Ulama-e-Maharashtra – a state unit of Jamiat Ulam-e-hind.

Those businesses that seek to obtain Halal Certification in India may approach any of the above mentioned certification bodies.

Halal Certification Requirements in India

At the time of providing certification, a competent authority audits and ensures that the business:

• Is neither nor consist of or contains any part or any matter of an animal that a Muslim is prohibited by Shariah to consume or which is not slaughtered as per the Shariah.
• Does not contain anything that is considered to be impure as per Shariah.
• Is not prepared or processed, or manufactured through an instrument that was not free from anything impure as per Shariah
• Has not during the course of preparation or processing or storage been in contact with or in close proximity to any food that fails to satisfy paragraphs (a), (b), or (c) or anything that is deemed to be impure as per Hukum Shariah.

What are the types of Halal Certification in India?

Based on the business’s nature, the type of halal Certification differs. Most frequently, it is obtained for places such as restaurants, hotels, slaughtering houses, packaging and labelling materials to make sure that they are suitable to be visited or used by Muslim consumers.

However, Halal Certification is limited not just to food produce, but Non-alcohol beverage, raw materials required in food processing, traditional herbal products, pharmaceutical, and health care products, cosmetics and personal care products, cleaning products, and daily consumable products can also get a halal certificate.

You can obtain the Halal certification from Halal certification bodies under the following schemes:

• Food, beverage and catering scheme;
• Industrial scheme;
• Restaurant scheme;
• Abattoir scheme;
• Product endorsement scheme; and
• Warehouse or storage scheme.

What is the procedure to obtain Halal Certification in India?

The procedure is discussed below.

• Application

The first step involves making an application. Businesses wishing to obtain this certification are required to apply to any of the certification bodies. It is critical for the businesses to be aware of the certification requirements and also ensure that it is compliant with Halal requirements and halal staffing requirements.

• Audit

When the information provided in the application is verified, auditors shall visit the business location for inspection. They will verify whether the following areas are taken care of:

1. Documentation;
2. Storage, display, and product serving;
3. Processing, handling, and product distribution;
4. Cleanliness, sanitary, and food safety^[1];
5. Tools, apparatus and machines;
6. Packaging and labelling;
7. Overall premises.

Read our article:FSSAI Packaging and Labelling Regulations in India

It may be noted that the business, during the audit, may be required to provide the criteria of acceptance of raw materials, certificate of analysis, and Halal certificate of every single ingredient. When the audit is finished, the audit report will be made, and it will be signed by both parties.

• Certification

When the Halal audit is completed, a technical committee shall review documents submitted by the business and also review the audit report submitted by the auditors. If the audit report is satisfactory and the business satisfies the criteria for halal certification, then the Halal certification authority grants the halal certificate.

Fee for Halal Certification in India

This certification on an average, costs around 50,000 rupees in India, but the fee may vary amongst the certification bodies. Therefore you are advised to check with the relevant certification bodies.

What are issues that have risen with Halal Certification?

The following issues are to be taken note of:

• The products cost that are halal certified increases as the certification process is not free of cost. Further, in order to get this certification, several modifications are required to be made in the making process.
•  In many sectors, employment opportunities to non-Muslims are unavailable- Halal Slaughterhouse.
• Halal certification is a discriminatory process for non-Muslims, especially in the halal meat industry.
• There has been no standard process of certification till now. It means halal certified products from one country may not be recognised in other countries.

What are the benefits of Halal Certification?

Obtaining this certification comes with various advantages, and it can provide an edge over other competitors for businesses. Some of the major benefits of getting this certification for a business or product are as follows:

• Get an opportunity to tap into the global Halal market of more than 2 billion people across the globe;
• The logo of Halal is authoritative, independent and reliable to support Halal food claims;
• Enhance the marketability of products in Muslim countries;
• Quality upgradation of the food or product;
• Quality upgradation of the food preparation hygienic system;
• Halal certification of food assures of a pure and wholesome form of nourishment for everyone.
• This certification assures the customer that the product is healthy and hygienic, thereby allowing people to buy high quality food products.

Conclusion

More and more businesses nowadays are applying for Halal Certification in India as it assures that the food has been subjected to certification, which guarantees customers that the food is devoid of any forbidden components.

Read our article:Procedure for Chicken/Mutton Shop License in Delhi and UP