Unpacking Critical Points of Ingredients from Generic Names on Labels

In the ingredient list, many ingredients are written with generic names. "Enzyme", "shortening", "emulsifier", "gelatin". These names are not wrong, but they are not enough to assess halal status. What determines it is not the name, but the origin and how it is handled.

This article discusses how to unpack critical points in three groups of ingredients that often appear in food products: microbial ingredients, animal fats, and gelatin. The focus is one thing: how to trace the origin of ingredients down to the documents.

Why generic names complicate things

Ingredient criteria in the halal product assurance system demand clarity of ingredient origin. Generic names obscure that information. Two products could both list "enzyme", but their sources differ: one from microbial fermentation, one from animal tissue.

Therefore, generic names should be treated as a sign that tracing is needed, not as proof that the ingredient is safe.

Three ingredients, three tracing patterns

1. Yeast

Yeast is a fermenting microorganism. Generally it is halal. What needs to be checked is the growth medium. Plant-based media differ in status from media containing animal derivatives.

Yeast is used in bread, fermented products, and instant yeast for household packaging. Available alternatives are yeast with halal-certified plant-based growth media, which has generally become the standard in modern industry.

Tracing steps: request product specifications and a list of media components from the supplier. If the supplier cannot mention them, note it as a risky ingredient.

2. Microbial enzymes for food processing

This is a broad category. Amylase, protease, and lipase can come from microbial, plant, or animal sources. Their status depends on the source.

Their use is wide: glucose and fructose syrup, meat tenderizers, juice and cheese production, and even dishwashing detergents that have indirect contact with food.

Tracing steps: start from the technical data sheet, then to a supplier statement letter about the enzyme source and its fermentation media. An alternative that can be requested is microbial enzymes from halal-certified fermentation, accompanied by source documents from the supplier.

3. Animal fats and shortening

Shortening is a solid fat for frying and baking. Its status depends on the source. Lard, which comes from pigs, is not acceptable.

This ingredient appears in cookies, pastries, donuts, instant noodles, and packaged fried products. Alternatives include palm oil, coconut oil, vegetable margarine, or shortening from halal-certified beef fat.

Tracing steps: ensure the type of fat in the specification, not just the term "vegetable shortening" on the label. Request written confirmation if there is a possibility of mixing.

4. Gelatin

Gelatin is a thickening protein from animal collagen. It is only acceptable if the source and slaughtering are clear. This ingredient is used in marshmallows, jelly candies, medicine and supplement capsules, ice cream, yogurt, and some bakery products.

Available alternatives: fish gelatin, halal-certified beef gelatin, or plant-based substitutes such as agar and carrageenan.

Tracing steps: identify the collagen source, then to the slaughtering documents. For imported products, pay attention to the supply chain because one ingredient can pass through several intermediaries.

A repeatable tracing sequence

1. Record the ingredient name exactly as written on the label or specification.
2. Determine its risk category: microbial, plant, or animal.
3. Request origin documents from the supplier, not just the finished product certificate.
4. Check consistency between the ingredient name, documents, and country of origin.
5. Keep a trace of the documents so they can be shown during an audit.

This sequence is simple, but its strength lies in habit. Ingredients that have been traced before do not need to be started from scratch in the next period; it is enough to update the documents.

The role of regulation and institutions

The halal certificate obligation applies to certain product groups. The list is set through Minister of Religious Affairs Decree Number 748 of 2021, which was later amended by KMA 944/2024.

On the business side, the reference for implementing the halal product assurance system is in the Head of BPJPH Decree Number 57 of 2021, which contains five criteria: commitment and responsibility, ingredients, halal product processes, products, and monitoring and evaluation. This decree was amended by Kepka 20/2023.

From the process side, Law Number 6 of 2023 simplifies certification, introduces a halal statement scheme for UMK, and opens the way for the Halal Product Fatwa Committee. For inspection bodies, accreditation guidelines are set in Head of BPJPH Decree Number 78 of 2025, which refers to SNI ISO/IEC 17065:2012.

It should be noted that the determination of halalness is the authority of the MUI Fatwa Commission or the Halal Product Fatwa Committee. Certificates are only issued by BPJPH. Therefore, the results of ingredient tracing serve as supporting evidence, not as the determinant of a product's halal status.

What is often overlooked

• Accepting generic names in supplier documents without asking about their origin.
• Keeping expired ingredient certificates or ones that do not cover the product name used.
• Not recording supplier changes, even though these changes can alter the risk profile of ingredients.

Tracing critical points of ingredients is essentially documentation work. The tidier the records, the faster the verification process runs. Ingredient criteria in SJPH can be managed in one place, including the ingredient registry and marking of critical points, through the SJPH platform from IndoHalal.id.