Halal-certified or just halal-compliant? Why not every product of ours carries a certificate

We get this question more than any other: Why do some of your products say "halal-certified" and others don't, even though the same beef is in everything? The answer is uncomfortable and it is: Because certification concerns the entire chain, not just the raw material. This article explains how that works – and for which of our products the chain is currently incomplete.

Halal-compliant or halal-certified – what is the difference?

The difference is significant, and it is regularly blurred in the market.

"Halal-compliant" is a statement a provider makes about themselves. It means: In our own assessment, the product meets the requirements. No outside party has verified this. The term is not protected under food law, anyone is free to use it, and there is no state oversight of halal claims.^[1][2][3]

"Halal-certified" means that an external certification body has inspected the facility, processes, and documentation and has issued a certificate with a registration number and validity period. The requirements for such bodies are described internationally in OIC/SMIIC 2:2019.^[4] This is verifiable.

Both phrases sound similar in product text. They are not. If this topic is important to you, look for the word "certified" – and ask to see the certificate.

Why is a raw material certificate not enough?

Because a certificate is always issued for a specific facility and a specific process, not for a molecule.

A typical capsule product goes through at least four stages:

1. The raw material – animal origin, slaughter, initial processing
2. Further processing – drying, freeze-drying, grinding
3. Filling – encapsulation or filling of cans and jars
4. Packaging – final packaging and labeling

Each of these stages takes place in a different facility, often in a different country. Every facility is certified individually. If the certificate is missing for even one single step, the chain is broken – and the finished product may not be labeled as halal-certified. This applies even if the raw material is impeccably certified.

Some providers therefore show a raw material certificate and leave out the fact that it only refers to the raw material. This is not formally incorrect, but it is not complete either. When in doubt, ask which production steps the certificate covers.

Why must machines be certified?

This is the point that surprises most people.

Certification is not just about what goes into the product, but also what it comes into contact with. The Codex Alimentarius expressly requires that halal goods do not come into contact with equipment and facilities contaminated with prohibited substances, and that facilities previously used for other purposes must be cleaned according to Islamic requirements.^[5] The cleaning agents and additives a facility uses must therefore be checked and documented – the mere possibility is enough for a certification body to want to inspect the facility.

In our case, the equipment is not cleaned with alcohol. However, that only benefits us if it is checked and documented. As long as the facility does not have a certificate, it remains our claim – and that is exactly what we do not want to sell as proof.

How a single ingredient blocks certification

An example from our own range: A collagen product with added vitamin C.

The collagen is halal-certified. The vitamin C is not – not because there is anything wrong with it, but because the supplier of that raw material has not undergone halal certification. Result: The total product cannot be certified, even though the main ingredient is.

This sounds bureaucratic, but it is exactly the reason why certification has any value at all. A system that waves through gaps would be worthless.

The same principle applies to organic

Organic certification works according to the same logic. There too, every facility in the chain – producer, processor, filler – must be individually certified and registered with an organic inspection body.

This is why it can happen that a raw material originates from organic farming, but the final product cannot be sold as organic because a processing step is not under inspection. Anyone writing "from organic cultivation" without citing an organic inspection body number is operating in the same gray area as "halal-compliant".

Which of our products are fully certified?

Our halal certificate is issued by m-haditec GmbH in Bremen, registration number 150527haevoey. It lists the products by name for which the entire chain has been verified.

View our current halal certificate

Fully certified

• Halal Collagen Hydrolysate
• Beef Gelatin Powder
• Bone Broth Powder
• Beef Tallow Balm

For these four products, the chain from raw material to packaging has been verified. Only these products do we label as halal-certified.

Raw material certified, chain not yet complete

For these products, the raw material is halal-certified. The subsequent steps are not – partly because the facilities have not yet initiated certification, and partly because it is currently not available at the respective location.

That is why there is no halal indication for these products. We could write "halal-compliant" and would likely be on the safe side legally. We do not do it because it blurs the difference that this whole article is about.

As soon as a missing step is certified, we will expand the certificate and include the product. The link above always shows the current status.

What you can ask any provider

Four questions that can be included in an email and which are very revealing:

1. Is the product halal-certified or halal-compliant?
2. Which certification body performed the inspection, and what is the registration number?
3. Which production steps does the certificate cover – only the raw material or the entire chain?
4. When does the certificate expire?

A provider who can answer all four questions has a handle on their chain. A provider who dodges question three likely only has a raw material certificate.

Why we are being transparent about this

It would be more convenient to just say nothing about the incompletely certified products. Most customers don't ask, and those who do receive an individual response via email.

We believe that is the wrong approach. Those who pay attention to halal for religious reasons are making a decision that is important to them – and for that, they need complete information, not the most favorable selection of it. Being transparent about where our own chain has gaps is part of that.

If you have questions about a specific product, write to us. We will tell you what the status is – even if the answer is "not yet."

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the packaging say nothing about halal if the raw material is certified?

Because a halal claim requires the entire chain to be verified. A note on the packaging that only refers to the raw material would be misleading.

Is the product not halal then?

We cannot answer this question, and no one else can do so in our place. We can only say what has been checked and documented and what has not. The assessment is up to you – and if you want to be sure, choose one of the four fully certified products.

How long does certification take?

That depends on the facility and is not in our hands. We can initiate it and provide the documents, but the respective processor or filler must make the decision.

Does this also apply to other certifications?

Yes. For organic products, it is expressly regulated: According to Art. 34 (1) of the EU Organic Regulation, producers, processors, traders, and storage facilities must each be individually certified and registered with an organic inspection body.^[6][7] A certification is always only as complete as its weakest link.

Status: September 2026. The certification status changes as soon as facilities in our supply chain are certified. You can always find the current status in the linked certificate.

Sources

1. Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Umwelt und Verbraucherschutz (Status Oct 22, 2024): Halal-Ernährung – Was steckt dahinter? Verbraucherportal Bayern (VIS). vis.bayern.de
2. Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband (Status Aug 14, 2026): Halal essen: Wann ist ein Produkt „halal“? verbraucherzentrale.de
3. Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband (Status Oct 14, 2022): Halal-Siegel: Einkaufshilfe für Muslime? Lebensmittelklarheit. lebensmittelklarheit.de
4. Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (2019): OIC/SMIIC 2:2019 Conformity Assessment – Requirements for Bodies Providing Halal Certification. smiic.org
5. Codex Alimentarius Commission / FAO-WHO (1997): General Guidelines for Use of the Term „Halal“. CAC/GL 24-1997. fao.org
6. Bundesanstalt für Landwirtschaft und Ernährung: Die Bio-Zertifizierung von Unternehmen – was muss beachtet werden? oekolandbau.de, with reference to Art. 34 (1) Reg. (EU) 2018/848. oekolandbau.de
7. European Parliament and Council (2018): Regulation (EU) 2018/848 on organic production and labelling of organic products, Art. 34 f. Consolidated version as of Jan 01, 2022. eur-lex.europa.eu

Further legal bases and literature

• Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (2019): OIC/SMIIC 1:2019 General Requirements for Halal Food. 2nd ed., July 31, 2019. smiic.org
• European Parliament and Council (2011): Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers (FIC). Consolidated version as of April 01, 2025. eur-lex.europa.eu

Sources last checked on Sept 17, 2026.