The Certification Mechanism for HALAL Food in the United States

U.S. legislation on HALAL food is relatively principle-based and general. The government's management of HALAL food mainly involves guidance and publicity to prevent fraud by merchants. According to American Muslim community groups, in practice only the New Jersey state government has specifically carried out management and supervision of HALAL food; other states that have legislated have designated enforcement departments but have not systematically carried out HALAL food management. Currently, the day-to-day management, industry norms, industry standards, and product certification of HALAL food across the United States are undertaken by non-profit social groups and Muslim community organizations such as the Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America and the American Muslim Consumer Association. Among them, the most influential certification body, recognized by many Muslim countries, is the Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America (IFANCA). Founded in 1982, the council has so far certified 1,500 (types of) HALAL foods worldwide (about 30 Chinese products), and has offices in Europe, Africa, India, Malaysia and China, becoming an international certification organization. The main work carried out by these bodies includes:

(1) Establishing systematic and rigorous certification standards. Although different certification organizations have different product quality standards and requirements—for example, the American Muslim Consumer Association requires that the HALAL food it certifies contain no alcohol components at all, while the Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America has made clear provisions on the maximum alcohol content of raw materials and finished products—these certification organizations have all established systematic and standardized certification standards. For instance, the Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America divides food into six categories, such as HALAL (i.e., permissible for Muslims to eat) and prohibited for Muslims to eat. First, it requires that alcohol components be avoided as far as possible in HALAL food; but for foods that must use alcohol in their production process and flow, it clearly requires that the alcohol content in raw materials and semi-finished products not exceed 0.5%, and that the alcohol content in finished products not exceed 0.1%. In addition, it performs chemical analysis on some food additives in HALAL food that may be Muslim taboos, such as gelatin, bone meal, leavening agents, animal fats, triglycerides, and animal enzymes; if these products contain components such as pork or lard, their use is strictly prohibited.

(2) Certification upon application, i.e., non-mandatory certification. Based on the application requirements submitted by the HALAL food enterprise, the certification body arranges professional and technical personnel to conduct an initial review and a re-review, checks the composition of its products, and issues a certification certificate after the products meet HALAL food quality standards. In addition to regular annual re-reviews, irregular spot checks are also conducted to ensure the quality of HALAL food. Because these certification bodies have close cooperative relationships with HALAL food certification bodies in Southeast Asian Muslim countries such as Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, as well as in Europe and Africa, a considerable number of Muslim countries also recognize their HALAL food certification, and U.S. HALAL food export enterprises must all pass certification by these bodies.

(3) Conducting HALAL food publicity and education activities. Certification bodies widely publicize knowledge about HALAL food, laws and regulations, the distribution of outlets, and other information by setting up websites, publishing periodicals and books, compiling and printing publicity materials, and organizing HALAL food production and trading enterprises to participate in various exhibitions and trade fairs. At the same time, through these publicity platforms, they also promote the certification bodies themselves, strengthen the exchange and interaction between the certification bodies and the Muslim community, and enhance the bodies' visibility and credibility.

(4) Certification bodies have played an important role in standardizing U.S. HALAL food management and promoting the development of HALAL food enterprises. HALAL food certification bodies such as the Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America, by using various forms to publicize and research HALAL food, have gradually become advisory bodies for the parliament and government on Muslim issues, especially HALAL food issues. By persistently lobbying members of parliament, they have accelerated and facilitated HALAL food legislation in many U.S. states. By establishing systematic and rigorous product quality standards and certification systems and conscientiously and meticulously carrying out HALAL food certification, they have also won broad recognition from many Muslim countries, other HALAL food certification bodies, and the country's own Muslim citizens. Through more than 20 years of effort, these HALAL food certification bodies have played an important role in standardizing U.S. HALAL food management, promoting the development of HALAL food enterprises in the United States and internationally, and advancing the implementation of HALAL food acts in various U.S. states.