Recently, discussion of the Halal (permissible) and Haram (forbidden) ingredients consumed by Muslims has increased, for all the right reasons. With advances in the technology and processing of food and non-food products, it is difficult to distinguish Halal from non-Halal products unless they carry a Halal mark from an authentic source.
For Halal certification, different Halal certification bodies are working all over the world, certifying their clients according to different guidelines and Halal standards. Some Muslim countries have their own Halal standards, among which the Malaysian Halal Standard, the Pakistani Halal Standard and the SMIIC OIC Halal Standard - which are being widely adopted by Muslim countries within the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) - are some reputable ones.
The ingredients used in the food and non-food industries are obtained from different sources, including synthetic, animal, plant, microbial and aquatic sources. For 2.5 billion Muslims this is a matter of high concern - what are the sources of the ingredients they use - and their concern has reached its limit.
In every industry, Haram ingredients are used on a large scale. If we take the pig as an example, every part/organ of it is used in industry, whether in the food sector or the non-food sector. According to Muslim Islamic law, the pig is a forbidden animal, and it is essential to avoid consuming it, and also to try not to use products containing pig by-products. According to the religious laws on Halal and Kosher, the pig is considered an unclean animal that cannot be eaten. This may be because of its potentially unlimited adverse effects on human health.
First, pigskin is mainly used in the food and non-food industries, and also as leather in the textile industry. The currently popular ingredient collagen, sometimes used in anti-aging creams, can come from pigskin, as well as from other sources such as marine collagen. This should be specified on the product. In the food industry, gelatin - some of which is derived from pig skin and bones, as well as from other animals and fish - is widely used in ice cream, marshmallows, capsules, yogurt and so on as a thickening and gelling agent. Often you will see it specified as bovine gelatin, distinguishing it as a single source, meaning no pig products have been used. Gelatin also has vegetarian options, so it is an ingredient that must be verified by a qualified Halal certification body.
In the food industry, shortening (used in baked products) and broth (used in seasonings, condiments and soups) can also be derived from pig fat rendered into lard. Lard is also used in ice cream, cream and the like as an emulsifier.
Glycerin is also an ingredient that can be extracted from pigs, although there are non-animal sources too; when used in various food and non-food products, it can be made Halal by producing it accordingly.
When we look at the cosmetics industry, pig fat is often used in lipstick because it gives a smooth texture, which can be a matter of high concern for Muslim women. But glycerin is also used in a wide variety of products, including toothpaste, making it another ingredient that producers and Halal certification bodies must label and determine whether it comes from a Halal source.
Bone and pork are widely used in the food industry. Activated carbon extracted from pig bones is used for refining purposes in the petroleum industry. Pork itself has various uses in food, as different meat products may have pork blended into them. It can also be used as an ingredient in powder form to make condiments and seasonings, rendering the final product Haram or forbidden for Muslims and Jews.
For example, L-cysteine, a protein derived from the hair of pigs and other animals, is used as a bread improver in the baking industry.
Pig offal is also widely used in various sectors. The intestines are used in processing sausages (for casings), while animal rennet (an enzyme used for curdling) is used in cheese making; unless specified as vegetarian rennet, the final product is questionable. Pig blood also has wide applications in different food and non-food fields.
Looking deeper into pig derivatives, it is clear that every sector benefits from the pig, which is a matter of great concern for every Muslim, Jew and some other religions. Not only pig-based, but many other ingredients from Haram sources are also used in every sector, including alcohol, different human organs in the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries, fermented products (containing low levels of alcohol that need to be assessed), and even permissible animals that, if not slaughtered according to Islamic law rulings, will be considered Haram.
There is a very large list of Haram and questionable ingredients used in the food and cosmetics industries, which Halal certification bodies verify and approve for Halal certification using Halal standards agreed upon by various religious scholars.
In addition to being forbidden, ingredients from forbidden sources cannot be considered beneficial to human health either. For various reasons, pork is regarded as an unclean meat; its flesh contains Taenia solium (a tapeworm) and sometimes Trichinella spiralis (a parasite), which, when consumed by humans (raw or undercooked), can cause diseases such as seizures (a neurological disorder) and trichinosis.
These Haram raw materials should be avoided or immediately replaced with Halal materials. Halal is safe, satisfying and hygienic, and is trivial for everyone, no matter which religion he/she professes.
For Muslims, Halal is a way of life, and they have a responsibility to spend their lives according to Islamic law. Today, not only Muslims eat Halal meat and use Halal products, but non-Muslims are also attracted to them for their health benefits.
In the Quran (2:172), Allah (ta'ala) says:
"O you who believe, eat of the good things We have provided for you, and be grateful to Allah, if it is (indeed) Him that you worship."
Halal certification bodies bear a huge responsibility to properly maintain the inspection of slaughter and production facilities, and to analyze the raw materials used in industry, as well as other factors that affect Halal products, in order to avoid any type of Haram contamination, such as in packaging and logistics.
Halal certification not only declares a product to be Halal, but also enjoys a reputation for identifying hygienic and uncontaminated products. Because of its health benefits, the certification is also becoming increasingly popular among non-Muslims.