“Halal” is the Arabic word for something that is permissible or lawful. The word haram means unlawful or prohibited and therefore is used as the opposite of Halal.  Although usually used in the context of food, the word Halal is also used to describe other permissible things such as personal actions, financial transactions, and other daily practices.  Halal is a lifestyle, a way of life, and something to be proud of for positive behaviors with others and ourselves. For more Halal information, please click the link below:

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Halal refers to any food product that is not prohibited. In fact, the vast majority of natural foods such as fruits, vegetables, grains, etc. are Halal and therefore too numerous to list. Many, but not all non-meat and non-alcoholic foods, are Halal. The important rule of thumb is that any alcoholic beverage and meat is Haram (prohibited) unless known the source animal was 1) permissible for its consumption and 2) slaughtered in accordance with Islamic Law (Shariah), whereas any nonmeat or animal product/ingredient is Halal unless known otherwise. Because modern consumable production is very complex, it is vital for Halal inspection and certification to ensure products are Halal compliant.

When it comes to meat, Halal or zabiha simply mean that the animal was slaughtered according to Islamic guidelines. Islam places great emphasis on how an animal’s life ends and how it is to be treated at the time of slaughter. All life, including that of animals, is considered sacred and must be treated humanely.

This includes, but not limited to the slaughterman qualifications, mentioning God’s name when slaughtering the animal, slaughtering it by slitting the throat with a sharp object, and draining its blood. One cannot eat an animal that died from electric shock or pre slaughter stunning or by being beaten.

Generally, any animal not killed according to Islamic Law is not permissible for Muslims to consume. However, there are some kinds of meats that Muslims are not allowed to consume regardless of how they are slaughtered such as pork and predatory animals. This includes some food items that might contain pork or non-Halal meat as an ingredient.

Seafood is Halal and Muslims can generally eat any purely aquatic creatures. There are some exceptions to this such as the prohibition of consuming alligator, crocodile, or frog meat.

Islam values the preservation of one’s mind, intellect, and sanity. Therefore, wine, alcoholic beverages, and all other intoxicants are strictly prohibited. This includes cooking food with wine.

Animal-derived ingredients from poultry, marine, bovine and ovine sources are generally allowed if the animal has been slaughtered in a Halal manner. During our ingredient verifications, we ask for proof that the animal-derived ingredients such as gelatin have been derived from permitted animal sources and the animal(s) were slaughtered in a Halal manner. Animal-derived ingredients from pig (porcine) sources can never be certified Halal and will never be allowed in Halal production according to ISA Halal standards.

Whey protein is very popular for muscle gain and various workouts. It is a powder ingredient used in milkshakes, protein bars, food products, and supplements. Whey protein, like cheese, is produced from the dairy industry where milk from cows is the raw ingredient. The process of producing whey, like cheese, requires a number of enzymatic reactions to occur leading to the production of whey. These enzymes must not have been derived from porcine sources or animals which have been slaughtered contrary to Islamic slaughter. Microbial enzymes are most preferred and currently used in most modern production methods. It is our experience that most whey powders on the market would be considered Halal, however, it is important to check for Halal certification or gain written personal assurances from the manufacturer.

Halal certification is verification that the product(s) and/or plant conforms to the highest standards of Halal. The certification process is supervised by a qualified expert or group of experts in the field of Halal requirements regarding food composition, handling and preparation.

ISA is committed to helping you grow your Halal business. Our integrated, customer focused halal certification process allows your company to gain Halal approval with confidence, relying upon our many years of expertise. We also continue adding value to your business post-certification.

Our Halal certification process has been well received and accepted by the Halal industry and our partners who are satisfied with the smooth integrated nature of our certification approach and adherence to international Halal standards. We have welcomed and received visits from international Halal organizations to demonstrate our metrics and benchmarks. This keeps ISA among the most recognized Halal certifiers in the world.

ISA is focused on ensuring that your company can market your products to your consumer base with confidence. We also allow oversight and auditing of our processes by international Halal governing bodies responsible for setting their Halal standards to ensure approval and acceptance of our certification process.

This will depend on the halal certifier, many of whom charge far higher fees than other industry accreditations. ISA ensures that our costs are honest and fair, and prices are based on case-by-case variables which include company size, product numbers and complexities.

Our process has a minimal impact on "business as usual" operations for our clients. ISA's streamlined Halal certification process flow has been widely applauded, appreciated and accepted as an easy-to-follow outline.

ISA follows a custom pricing structure and there are various factors to determine our fees. Through ISA’s various service agreement structures, ISA is equipped to serve any and all Halal certification needs your company may have both domestically and internationally. We understand that a “one size fits all” approach does not accommodate all industry types. ISA strives to provide quality, competitive pricing by considering the following:

Company Size:
ISA understands there are companies of all sizes. From startup companies to large multinational corporations, ISA has a pricing structure that will fit your needs.

Product and Process Complexity:
Product and Process Complexity refers to the amount of scientific research needed to ensure your products Halal compliance by the ISA Audit team. ISA has designed a system to rank your product complexity to accurately capture your review requirements by checking the Critical Control Points (CCP).

Number of Products Certified:
ISA understands some companies may have a large number of products to certify. Our customized pricing addresses that need.

Number of Facilities Certified:
The certification of your facilities is usually the largest expenditure in a Halal certification. Through customized pricing, ISA is able to take the number of facilities into account to provide competitive pricing everyone benefits from.

Company Location:
Whether domestic or international, ISA’s intention is to keep audit travel expenses to a minimum. ISA has an expansive audit team throughout North America and around the world.

Export Certificates:
ISA has developed a batch of Halal certificate program. For our customers exporting to niche markets we serve through our international accreditations. The export certificates generate a nominal fee to help ISA process, track, and verify batch shipping order for ease at their port of entry. Sometimes for different foreign markets specific service charges or translation services may get included in the process.

Production Reports:
ISA requires all meat customers track, report, and disclose, any Halal certified meat shipments sold as Halal.  As such Customers complete the production reports and pay a nominal tracking fee per shipment.