Is collagen halal? Why "bovine" doesn't say anything about certification yet

Anyone looking to buy collagen powder as a Muslim faces a problem that very few suppliers are aware of: the packaging usually only states "collagen hydrolysate" or "collagen peptides." In many cases, it is impossible to find out which animal the collagen comes from and how that animal was slaughtered.

Is collagen halal or haram?

Collagen is neither generally halal nor generally haram. Two questions are decisive: which animal the collagen comes from and how that animal was slaughtered.

Collagen from pigs is not permissible according to Islamic understanding. Bovine collagen comes from an animal that is fundamentally permitted – but it is only halal if the slaughter was carried out according to Islamic requirements and this can be proven without gaps. If this proof is missing, the animal species alone is inconclusive.

Therefore, the real question when buying is not "beef or pork?", but rather: Can the supplier prove what they claim?

What is collagen made from?

Collagen for dietary supplements and food is obtained from animal connective tissue – predominantly from the skin and bones of pigs and cattle, and more rarely from fish or poultry.

The quantities are significant: worldwide, about 46 percent of gelatin raw material comes from pork rind, about 29 percent from cattle hide, and about 23 percent from bones.^[1] For Europe, the majority of collagen is obtained from pork rind.^[2] Anyone specifically looking for beef is therefore going against the market.

Collagen hydrolysate is produced from the same raw material as gelatin – only further broken down so that it dissolves in cold drinks. The raw material issue is the same for both products.

The consumer advice center (Verbraucherzentrale) therefore expressly advises paying close attention to the labeling of collagen products if one wishes to avoid pork-based products – because the majority of collagen is obtained from pork rind.^[2]

Why is the animal species often not on the packaging?

Because in many cases it does not have to be stated. Food labeling is regulated across the EU by the Food Information Regulation (FIC), Regulation (EU) No. 1169/2011.^[3] As a rule, it does not contain a general obligation to name the animal species for gelatin or collagen.

The consumer advice center notes: Anyone who wants to know which animal species the gelatin used comes from is usually left with no choice but to ask the manufacturer. Sometimes the origin is voluntarily stated in the list of ingredients.^[4]

An exception applies to fish: fish products are among the allergens that must be labeled and must therefore be stated.^[4]

For you, this means: A product on which the animal species is not stated is not automatically from a pig – but it is also not demonstrably from a cow. Missing information is not a statement.

Is collagen a slaughter waste product?

No. The EU Hygiene Regulation specifically regulates this: raw materials for gelatin and collagen must come from animals that were slaughtered in a slaughterhouse, underwent ante-mortem inspection, and were found fit for human consumption after meat inspection.^[5] These are the same animals whose meat is sold in stores.

The term "waste" also does not accurately describe the matter in terms of content. For centuries, skin, bones, and connective tissue were a matter-of-course part of the diet – as broth, brawn, and aspic. Only the modern food industry has narrowed consumption down to muscle meat. Collagen and gelatin are a return to the full utilization of the animal, not the utilization of a residual product.

How does halal collagen differ from conventional collagen?

The difference lies not in the molecule, but in the production process. Halal-certified collagen differs from conventional collagen in three points: the animal species, the slaughter method, and the separation of production.

Animal species: Pork is excluded – completely, including as an additive or processing aid.

Slaughter method: The slaughter must be carried out according to Islamic requirements. The authoritative international standard is OIC/SMIIC 1:2019, the general requirements standard for halal food from the Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.^[6] In 2021, the same institute published its own standard for food-grade gelatin, OIC/SMIIC 22, which sets out requirements and testing methods specifically for this raw material.^[7]

Separation of production: Facilities that also process pork raw materials must be cleaned and approved before a halal batch. Without documented separation, the certification is not sustainable.

Important to know: There is no single globally recognized halal standard. Requirements differ between certification bodies and countries – for example, on the question of whether reversible stunning before the cut is permissible.^[6] Anyone who wants to be sure should check which standard was used for certification.

Is halal collagen slaughtered without stunning?

In most cases, no. Halal does not automatically mean "without stunning" – a misconception that persists stubbornly. In Germany, religious slaughter today takes place on a far larger scale with stunning than without, and meat from such procedures is halal-certified for the Islamic market.^[8]

Legally, stunning is the rule, not the exception. EU Regulation (EC) No. 1099/2009 stipulates in Article 4 that animals must be stunned before killing; paragraph 4 contains a narrowly defined exception for religious rites.^[9] In Germany, Section 4a of the Animal Welfare Act specifies this: a warm-blooded animal may generally only be slaughtered under stunning. While exceptional permits are possible, they are checked very strictly by the authorities and are only rarely granted.^[10]

What reversible stunning means

The Islamic requirement is not "unstunned," but rather: The animal must be alive at the time of the cut. This is exactly where reversible stunning comes in – usually a short-term electrical stunning. It leads to unconsciousness but does not kill the animal; heartbeat and circulation remain intact. The animal is therefore alive at the time of the cut while simultaneously being insensible to pain.

That is why numerous halal certification bodies recognize this procedure. Other standards do not allow any form of stunning at all. There is no uniform global standard in this regard – requirements differ between certification bodies and countries.

This also makes the term "Schächten" (ritual slaughter) misleading. It is defined in German law as "slaughter without stunning," but only partially describes current practice. The EU research project DIALREL therefore recommends speaking of "religious slaughter" instead and naming the respective stunning procedure – for example, "religious slaughter with reversible stunning."^[8]

Both procedures stand or fall with execution

Honesty is worthwhile in both directions here, because the topic is usually discussed one-sidedly.

Conventional stunning is not without its flaws either. In industrial cattle slaughter, depending on the study, between about one and twelve percent of animals must be re-stunned because the first captive bolt shot did not work or was not deep enough: A study by the Fleischforschung Kulmbach cites 4 to 9 percent from the literature and measures 0.9 to 5.7 percent itself,^[11] while a European survey arrives at 12.5 percent.^[12] The causes are almost always practical in nature: an imprecise starting point on the skull, insufficient fixation, worn-out equipment, time pressure on the line.

Conversely, in a slaughter without stunning, everything depends on the cut, the sharpness of the knife, and calm fixation. If work is done cleanly, unconsciousness occurs quickly. If work is done unprofessionally, it takes longer.

The honest assessment is therefore: The decisive factor is not the label on the procedure, but how carefully the work is performed – training of personnel, cycle speed, veterinary control, documented re-stunning. A well-managed facility with religious slaughter can work more humanely than a poorly managed conventional facility, and vice versa.

What you as a buyer can ask

If this point is important to you – in one direction or the other – then it is a legitimate question for every supplier:

• Is the raw material obtained from slaughter with or without stunning?
• If with stunning: which procedure?
• According to which halal standard was the certification issued, and what is this standard's position on stunning?
• Are the slaughterhouses under veterinary control?

A supplier who cannot answer these questions does not know their own supply chain well enough. For our own range, we answer them below – specifically per product, because the answer varies depending on the origin.

How do I recognize genuine halal collagen?

By three verifiable details – not by the seal on the front. A halal logo without these three details is a graphic, not proof.

1. Name of the certification body. Who verified it? A body without a name is not a verification.
2. Registration or certificate number. Without a number, nothing can be looked up.
3. Validity period. Halal certificates have a limited duration and must be renewed. An expired certificate is worthless.

Added to this is a fourth point that most people overlook: the scope of the certificate. It is not the brand that is certified, but the individual product. A supplier can rightfully hold a halal certificate and still have products in their range that are not covered by it. Ask which items are explicitly listed in the certificate.

And finally: Ask to see the certificate. A supplier who does not provide the original upon request either has none or has one that would not stand up to scrutiny.

Is fish collagen automatically halal?

No – even if fish is considered harmless according to most Islamic legal interpretations and does not require ritual slaughter. Therefore, the raw material is less often the problem with fish collagen.

The critical points follow afterward: capsule shells are often made of gelatin, which in turn can come from pigs. Carrier substances, flavorings, and processing aids are subject to the same questions. And in a facility that also processes pork raw materials, the same requirements for cleaning and separation apply as with cattle.

The principle remains the same: certification beats animal species. A certified beef product is verifiable, an uncertified fish product is not.

Is there vegan collagen?

No. Collagen is an animal structural protein; plants do not produce collagen. The consumer advice center clarifies that vegan or plant collagen does not exist.^[2]

Products sold as "vegan collagen" generally contain a mixture of amino acids such as glycine, proline, hydroxyproline, and L-lysine, sometimes supplemented with vitamin C or zinc.^[2] These are building blocks, not collagen. Anyone searching for religious reasons will therefore not find what they are looking for here – the alternative to non-certified collagen is certified collagen, not a plant-based substitute product.

Which type of collagen is in halal collagen?

Collagen from cattle hide predominantly contains types I and III. Type II occurs almost exclusively in cartilage tissue and is usually obtained from chicken cartilage for dietary supplements.

Anyone specifically looking for type II will therefore not find it in bovine collagen – regardless of whether it is halal-certified or not. Anyone looking for types I and III is on the right track with beef.

A high-quality product openly states both: the animal species and the type. Where neither the one nor the other is on the packaging, the basis for an informed decision is missing.

Is there halal collagen at dm, Rossmann, or in pharmacies?

The range is manageable. According to our market observation (as of September 2026), conventional collagen powders without disclosure of the animal species – and without halal certification – dominate the drugstore market. A product that is on the shelf and does not carry certification details is not halal, even if it comes from a well-known brand.

In pharmacies and through pharmacy mail-order services, one can find individual certified collagen products, usually in the higher price segment. However, the majority of halal-certified collagen powders in Germany are sold directly by specialized providers – simply because the target group is too small for broad shelf placement to be profitable for retailers.

Practically speaking, this means: you will rarely find it locally. Comparing online is worthwhile – and the four verification points from the section above apply there.

Which suppliers are there in Germany?

The market for halal-certified collagen in Germany is small and served by a handful of specialized brands. We deliberately do not name a ranking – requirements differ depending on which halal standard you use as a benchmark.

It is more sensible to conduct your own comparison based on four questions:

• Which certification body verified it, and according to which standard?
• Is the certificate number stated and is the certificate viewable?
• Which products does the certificate specifically cover?
• Are the origin of the raw material, the country of processing, and the bottling disclosed?

Anyone who answers all four questions has nothing to hide. Anyone who avoids one of them is also saying something with that.

Our Halal Collagen

The halal-certified assortment from Animal Based is certified by m-haditec GmbH in Bremen, registration number 150527haevoey, valid from May 16, 2026, to May 15, 2027.

The certificate covers four products by name: Halal Collagen Peptides, Bone Broth Powder, Bovine Gelatin Powder, and Beef Tallow Balm. Our organic bone broth concentrate is also certified in terms of raw material, but the bottling is not yet – that is why we deliberately do not list it here as fully certified.

Origin and slaughter procedure in detail

The answer varies with us depending on the product – hence the separate listing here:

Halal Collagen Peptides and Bovine Gelatin Powder: The raw material comes from pasture-raised cattle in Turkey; processing takes place in Switzerland. Halal certification of the raw material follows the OIC/SMIIC standard – that is, the norm that bindingly defines the requirements for slaughter and regulates permissible stunning procedures in detail. The slaughterhouses are under veterinary control.

Bone Broth Powder and Beef Tallow Balm: These raw materials come from the EU. Slaughter here is carried out with prior stunning. If this point is important to you, these are the products for which we can give you a clear answer.

Each batch is additionally tested for microbiology and heavy metals in an accredited German laboratory – the test reports are publicly viewable and can be assigned via the batch number on your packaging.

For those interested in the related question regarding gelatin: We have answered it in a separate article – Buying bovine gelatin: Why the packaging rarely says which animal it comes from.

Sources

1. Rather, J. A. et al. (2022): A comprehensive review on gelatin: Understanding impact of the sources, extraction methods, and modifications on potential packaging applications. Food Packaging and Shelf Life 34, 100945. doi.org/10.1016/j.fpsl.2022.100945
2. Federation of German Consumer Organisations (as of 16.01.2025): Collagen drinks for beauty – beauty in a bottle? verbraucherzentrale.de
3. European Parliament and Council (2011): Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 (FIC), Annex II No. 4 (fish, with exceptions for fish gelatin) and Annex VII Part B No. 17. Consolidated version as of 01.04.2025. eur-lex.europa.eu
4. Consumer Advice Center Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania: What animal does gelatin come from? verbraucherzentrale-mv.eu
5. European Parliament and Council (2004): Regulation (EC) No 853/2004, Annex III Section XIV Chap. I (Gelatin) and Section XV Chap. I (Collagen) – authorized raw materials and fitness for human consumption. Consolidated version as of 15.02.2023. eur-lex.europa.eu
6. Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (2019): OIC/SMIIC 1:2019 General Requirements for Halal Food. smiic.org
7. Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (2021): OIC/SMIIC 22:2021 Halal Edible Gelatine – Requirements and Test Methods. smiic.org
8. Caspar, J.; Luy, J. (Eds.) (2010): Animal Welfare at Religious Slaughter. Nomos, Baden-Baden, ISBN 978-3-8329-4898-6. refubium.fu-berlin.de
9. Council of the European Union (2009): Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009 on the protection of animals at the time of killing, Art. 4 (1) and (4). eur-lex.europa.eu
10. § 4a Animal Welfare Act (TierSchG). gesetze-im-internet.de
11. Dörfler, K.; Troeger, K.; Lautenschläger, R.; Lücker, E. (2013): Evaluation of various captive bolt stunning devices in cattle. Mitteilungsblatt Fleischforschung Kulmbach 52, No. 200, 113–124. openagrar.de
12. Atkinson, S.; Velarde, A.; Algers, B. (2013): Assessment of stun quality at commercial slaughter in cattle shot with captive bolt. Animal Welfare 22(4), 473–481. doi.org/10.7120/09627286.22.4.473

Further legal bases and literature

• Nakyinsige, K. et al. (2013): Stunning and animal welfare from Islamic and scientific perspectives. Meat Science 95(2), 352–361. doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2013.04.006 (PMID 23747629)
• León-López, A. et al. (2019): Hydrolyzed Collagen – Sources and Applications. Molecules 24(22), 4031. doi.org/10.3390/molecules24224031

Sources last checked on 17.09.2026.