In the face of increasingly stringent halal regulations, LPH LPPOM continues to prove itself as an adaptive and professional halal inspection agency. LPPOM consistently maintains the timeliness of the BPJPH halal certification process while ensuring service quality is not compromised. Amidst the complexity of materials, production processes, and limited understanding among business actors, LPH LPPOM presents a systematic and solution-oriented approach, ensuring the process is always fast and easy.Â
Amid growing public awareness of the importance of halal products, the halal certification process has now become a crucial part of the food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries. However, maintaining timely and high-quality certification is no easy task. This was a key highlight of the seminar entitled “Supporting BPJPH’s Halal Mandatory, LPPOM Offers Excellent Service”, which was part of the Indonesia International Halal Festival (IIHF) held at the Jakarta International Convention Centre (JICC) some time ago.
On the occasion, Muti Arintawati, President Director of LPH LPPOM, explained how her institution built a robust certification management system amidst tight regulatory deadlines and complex challenges in the field. She also emphasized the critical role of businesses and consumers in creating a better halal ecosystem.
Government Regulation Number 42 of 2024 stipulates that halal inspection and/or testing for domestically produced products must be conducted within 15 days from the date the Halal Inspection Body (LPH) is issued by the Halal Product Assurance Agency (BPJPH), with a maximum extension of 10 days. For foreign products, the period is 15 days, with a maximum extension of 15 days. “In short, the inspection process has a deadline of 25 to 30 days,” explained Muti.
This strict timeframe presents a challenge, not only for LPHs but also for businesses. “Therefore, businesses must have a thorough understanding of halal certification requirements and implementation procedures. Without sufficient understanding, many findings will arise during the audit,” she said.
During the audit process, Muti said implementation will be compared against requirements. If any discrepancies or gaps are identified, the company must address and close them. “If the gap is large, it will take even longer to align the implementation with the requirements,” she explained.
Muti emphasized the importance of communication between business actors and the Halal Certification Institute (LPPOM). “From the beginning, we always convey to business actors that they must fully understand the halal certification procedures. If there are any difficulties or misunderstandings, please communicate them clearly with us at the LPH. We have a dedicated team dedicated to providing services to business actors, called Halal Partners,” she explained.
Other challenges arise during the audit process. These arise not only from procedural understanding but also from the technical aspects of materials and production facilities. “One of the difficulties business actors commonly encounter in the halal certification process is issues with materials and processes. For example, during the audit process, we discovered materials that were not halal certified and had to be replaced,” she said.
The process of replacing materials is not an easy task. When changing ingredients, the company needs time to adjust the recipe to the replacement ingredient.
Another challenging finding concerns shared production facilities. “When shared facilities are found between products to be certified and products that have not been or are not certified and contain non-halal ingredients, there must be separation of these facilities, because halal facilities cannot be mixed with non-halal ones,” he emphasized.
To support the success of halal certification, LPPOM continues to develop a fast and proactive service system. Through Halal Partner, LPPOM provides intensive assistance to every business actor. Furthermore, communication is also available through Customer Care services at the Call Centre on 14056 and via WhatsApp at 0811-1148-696.
For business actors seeking to gain a deeper understanding of the halal certification process, LPPOM regularly holds free Halal Certification Introduction Classes (PSH) every second and fourth week. Further information can be accessed at: https://halalmui.org/pengenalan-sertifikasi-halal.
For consumers, LPPOM encourages them to be more discerning in their choice of halal products. Consumers can quickly check the list of halal-certified products through the website www.halalmui.org or the Halal MUI app, available for download on the Play Store. For further information, including halal certification regulations and policies, please visit the BPJPH website at https://bpjph.halal.go.id.
Through a combination of professional service, open communication, and ongoing education, LPPOM continues to demonstrate its commitment to maintaining timely, transparent, and reliable halal certification services. (YN)
