Halal Industry and Exports: The Role of LPH Accreditation

For export-oriented industries, a halal certificate is not merely an administrative obligation. It becomes a requirement for entry into a number of markets. Therefore, the capacity of domestic certification services directly affects the speed at which products penetrate markets.

One of the determinants of that capacity is the number and quality of accredited Halal Inspection Agencies (LPH).

The position of LPH in the certification chain

LPH carries out the function of inspecting product halalness. This inspection is part of the process that culminates in the issuance of a halal certificate by BPJPH. The determination of halalness itself is the authority of the MUI Fatwa Commission or the Halal Product Fatwa Committee. The certificate is only issued by BPJPH.

This means LPH is at a point that determines the smooth flow of applications. The more LPHs are accredited with a broad scope of competence, the greater the inspection capacity available. This is important for industries that submit many types of products at once.

The applicable accreditation reference

Decree of the Head of BPJPH Number 78 of 2025 on Guidelines for Accreditation of Halal Inspection Agencies regulates accreditation requirements, Pratama and Utama qualifications, scope of competence, fees, application flow, surveillance, and witness assessment. These guidelines refer to SNI ISO/IEC 17065:2012.

For business actors, the existence of these guidelines provides an overview of the standards that an LPH must meet. The Pratama and Utama qualifications indicate different levels of competence. The scope of competence shows what types of products or sectors the LPH may inspect.

From the industry side, these two things are practical. First, business actors can assess whether the intended LPH has a scope that matches their products. Second, business actors can estimate whether the inspection can be completed according to schedule.

BPJPH services and timeframes

Decree of the Head of BPJPH Number 243 of 2025 on Service Standards at BPJPH establishes 27 types of BPJPH services, complete with requirements, timeframes, and tariffs. These services cover LPH accreditation, registration of LP3H and PPH Assistants, issuance of halal certificates, and facilitation codes. This decree revokes Kepka 120/2022.

The establishment of service timeframes helps industry plan. For products to be exported, deadlines are often set by buyers or shipping schedules. Therefore, certainty of stages becomes part of production planning, not a separate matter.

Critical points of materials that slow things down

LPH readiness alone is not enough. Most of the time in the certification process is spent on the materials side. The following materials commonly become critical points in industrial products.

• Isinglass. A clarifying agent from fish swim bladders, commonly used in beer and wine. Its status depends on the source. For non-alcoholic beverage products, plant-based clarifying agents such as bentonite or carrageenan can be an option.
• Albumin (egg white). Generally halal, but still needs to be verified free from non-halal mixtures. The label should explicitly state "egg albumin/albumen". This material is used in bakery products, processed meat processing, and certain pharmaceutical products.
• Mono- and Diglycerides of Fatty Acids (E471). The most common emulsifier in the food industry. Its source can be palm oil or animal fat. The alternative is halal-certified E471 with a plant-based fatty acid source listed in the material certificate from the supplier. This material is widely used in bread, margarine, ice cream, chocolate, and packaged bakery products.
• Mechanically Separated Meat (MSM). Meat remaining on bones extracted by machine, at risk of being a mixture from various types of animals. The alternative is processed meat products with guaranteed dedicated halal production lines and certificates from certified slaughterhouses. MSM is common in sausages, nuggets, meatballs, and economically priced processed meat products.

For industry, these critical points are not a one-time matter. Changes in suppliers can change the status of materials. Therefore, supporting documents from suppliers need to be updated periodically.

SJPH criteria as a framework

Decree of the Head of BPJPH Number 57 of 2021 on Criteria for the Halal Product Assurance System contains five criteria: commitment and responsibility, materials, halal product processes, products, and monitoring and evaluation. This decree was amended by Kepka 20/2023.

These five criteria provide a framework that companies can use to organize themselves before inspection. The criteria for materials and halal product processes intersect directly with the critical points above. The monitoring and evaluation criteria keep the system running after the certificate is issued.

Certification obligations and their phasing

Decree of the Minister of Religious Affairs Number 748 of 2021 establishes the groups of products required to be halal-certified along with their phasing. This decree was amended by KMA 944/2024.

Phasing means that the obligation does not fall simultaneously on all product groups. For industry, phasing provides room to adjust the supply chain. However, such adjustment still requires time, especially if suppliers are located abroad.

What industry needs to prepare

1. Map materials for each SKU and mark which ones have source-dependent status.
2. Collect halal certificates for materials from suppliers, and ensure the fatty acid source or animal origin is clearly stated.
3. Ensure the intended LPH has a scope of competence that matches the type of product.
4. Implement SJPH criteria in a documented manner, including internal audits.
5. Update material documents whenever there is a change in suppliers.

These steps do not guarantee speed, but they reduce the possibility of inspection stopping midway because material documents are incomplete.

To organize SJPH criteria in a documented manner, the SJPH platform from IndoHalal.id helps companies manage halal policies, material registries, critical points, and certification readiness in one application.