We halalcertify:
Foods, Beverages, Drugs, Cosmetics, Chemical Products, Biological Products, Genetically Engineered Products, Genetically Modified Products, Use Goods/Consumer Goods, Slaughtering, processing Service.

It is challenging to provide an exact timeline for the certification process in advance. The duration depends on several factors, including the number of products, the extent of necessary modifications to product content, and any adjustments required in the production process to meet our halal standards. Additionally, we must conduct an initial on-site audit at the production facility, which requires time for planning and coordination.

In general, you can expect the process to take approximately 3 to 4 weeks.

Please see also: The schedule for the halal certification process.

Our halal certificate is valid in all non-Muslim countries and in most Muslim countries.

It is difficult to provide a definitive answer to this question without knowing the specifics of what we are certifying, the number of products involved, and the cost of conducting the initial on-site audit at the production facility. Once you submit your application, we will have the necessary information to calculate the costs and provide you with a price proposal.

Without an application, we unfortunately have no basis on which to calculate or provide a cost estimate.

It is sometimes necessary to make adjustments to meet our halal criteria. These adjustments may involve modifying raw materials, making specific changes in the production process, or similar minor alterations. Often, these changes are relatively minor and do not require significant investment. In some cases, no changes may be needed if the product and its production process already meet our requirements, even if the producer is not aware of this.

You can find more detailed information in our certification guidelines, which will be provided to you upon receipt of your application.

Rennet is an enzyme traditionally used in the cheese-making process to coagulate or set milk, leading to the formation of curds. Its primary active component is chymosin.

There are four main sources of rennet:

1. Animal Rennet: Traditionally, rennet is derived from the stomach lining of young ruminant animals, usually calves. Specifically, it’s taken from the fourth stomach or the abomasum. This is because the enzyme aids the animal in digesting its mother’s milk.
2. Vegetable Rennet: Some plants produce enzymes that can curdle milk. Examples include the thistle plant and fig tree sap. These are used in some traditional cheese-making contexts and are considered vegetarian alternatives to animal rennet.
3. Microbial Rennet: Produced by fermenting specific fungi or bacteria. Microbial rennets are suitable for vegetarians but not always for those who adhere strictly to some religious dietary guidelines, since the source fungi or bacteria might be derived from non-Halal sources or undergo transformations in non-Halal mediums.
4. Fermentation-Produced Chymosin (FPC): This is the result of a more modern process where genes that produce chymosin are inserted into certain microorganisms, such as yeast or fungi. These organisms then produce chymosin during fermentation. FPC is the primary rennet source in many countries due to its consistent performance in cheese-making.

 
From an Islamic perspective, if animal rennet is used, it is essential that the animal is slaughtered according to Halal standards for the enzyme to be Halal. Otherwise, the cheese or product containing the rennet might not be considered Halal. When in doubt, it’s advisable for Muslims to opt for products that are clearly labeled Halal or to choose cheese made with non-animal rennet

Mono and diglycerides are fatty acid derivatives used as emulsifiers in food products. Their Halal status depends on their source:

1. Plant-based: If derived from plants like soy or palm, they are generally considered Halal.
2. Animal-based: If derived from animals, they must come from a Halal-certified animal that was slaughtered according to Islamic guidelines.
3. Synthetic: Produced chemically, these are typically Halal.

For assurance, it’s best to choose products with clear Halal certification or verify the source of these ingredients with manufacturers.

Lecithin is a fat used as an emulsifier in various products. Its Halal status depends on the source:

1. Plant-based (e.g., soy lecithin): Generally considered Halal.
2. Egg-based: Halal if the egg is from a permissible bird.
3. Animal-based: It must come from a Halal-certified animal slaughtered according to Islamic guidelines to be Halal.

As with any ingredient, seeking products with clear Halal certification or checking with manufacturers is recommended for peace of mind.

This is a question that comes up once in a while. 

When it comes to meat and poultry, Muslims also use the term Zabiha (Dhabiha) to refer to meat from a Halal animal slaughtered by a Muslim in the prescribed Islamic way. (Meat from haram animals does not become Halal, even if it is slaughtered in the prescribed Islamic way, and a Muslim would never slaughter a haram animal.) Conversely, kosher is a term associated only with food. It has a similar meaning as Halal does in the context of food, but there are also many differences. Some of the differences are listed below:

• Islam prohibits all intoxicants, including alcohol, liquor, and wine, whereas Judaism regards alcohol and wine as kosher. Hence kosher foods may contain alcohol. If they do, they are considered haram in Islam.
• Gelatin is considered kosher by many Jews regardless of its source of origin. For Muslims, if gelatin is prepared from swine, it is haram. Even if gelatin is prepared from cows that are not Zabiha, many scholars consider it haram.
• Kosher practice does not require Jews to pronounce the name of God on the animals while slaughtering, but Muslims must pronounce the name of ALLAH on all animals while in the act of slaughtering.

There are other differences between Halal and kosher that make some kosher products haram or questionable with respect to Muslim consumption.

And ALLAH (swt) knows best.

The production of cheese requires the use of enzymes to coagulate or curdle the milk and the addition of other ingredients for various functions. The enzymes can be derived from animal, vegetable, or microbial sources. The animal sources include pigs and cattle.

The enzyme derived from pigs is called pepsin and is haram. Another enzyme derived from pigs or small cattle is lipase. (Lipase can also be made by microorganisms, which is Halal.) One of the enzymes derived from the inner lining of the fourth stomach of calves is called rennet. It may come from Zabiha calves or non-Zabiha calves. The enzyme can also be produced by microbial methods. Microbial enzymes are not derived from meat and are Halal.

Rennet is a crude preparation containing dried, ground linings of the calf stomach. The active enzyme is called chymosin. Today, purified chymosin is also manufactured through genetic modifications of microorganisms when the chymosin gene from a calf is duplicated and inserted into microbial cells. Calf rennet is still used by specialty cheese manufacturers. Moreover, pig enzymes, such as lipase, are still used in high flavour, ripened cheeses, like romano.

Today, most cheeses in the European markets are questionable. Most cheese products do not list the source of the enzyme, so one must ask the producer from where the enzyme comes. Of course, it is possible the source will change without notification.

Finally, cheese products may contain many other ingredients, each of which must also be examined.