QNA : About Halal Certification For Overseas Products

Question: 

Assalamu’alaikum wr. wb. 

My family members who live in Europe are developing a packaged food business that will soon be marketed in Indonesia. Related to this, we need information for handling halal certificates, including: 

1. Even though it is already halal-certified from the local LSH, does it also need to be registered with the MUI? 
2. If only sending raw materials to be produced in Indonesia, can halal certificate documents from foreign institutions be used as supporting documents for raw materials? 
3. What about the status of raw materials that have halal certificate documents from overseas halal institutions that do not cooperate with MUI? Thus, our question, thank you for the answers and explanations.

Wassalamu’alaikum wr. wb. 

Hadi Lukito 

[email protected]  

Answer

Walaikumsalam wr. wb. 

Thank you for the question that you submit. Answering this question, we can explain the following: 

1. This is correct. For processed food products from abroad who want to enter Indonesia and want to use the MUI halal label or logo, they must submit a halal certification to Halal Product Assurance Agency (BPJPH) (BPJPH). 
2. If sent to Indonesia in the form of raw materials, then halal certificate documents from abroad can be used. Certificates from LSH that have not been recognized can still be used as supporting documents if they are issued before the date of issuance from the list of recognized institutions on the website www.halalmui.org and materials produced during the validity period of the certificate. 
3. If the material sent is not listed in the list of halal institutions that are recognized by the MUI, the company can submit approval for new materials by attaching supporting documents for other materials, for example, process flow diagrams, specifications, etc.). 

            However, for the ingredients below, must attach a halal certificate, namely: 

            a. meat and its derivatives 

            b. Flavor, fragrance, and other ingredients are very complex 

           c. Whey, lactose, and other ingredients that are difficult to trace the halal status. 

So, this is our explanation. I hope it answers your question. 

Wassalamu’alaikum wr. wb.